APA – Bamako (Mali) – The controversy surrounding the benefits of members of the CNT comes at a time of crisis in Mali.
The National Transitional Council (CNT) have been meeting on Thursday 25 April to discuss reforms to the benefits of members of the junta, after the Constitutional Court rejected a law on such proposed perks.
Behind closed doors, the CNT is expected to revise the organic law that defines these benefits in response to constitutional recommendations and the charter of the transition.
The planned revision will include the recommendations of the Constitutional Court, in particular the fixing of the amounts of the benefits and the replacement of certain terms.
At present, members of the CNT receive bonuses, allowances and salaries in excess of 2 million CFA francs, or nearly 3,500 US dollars per session, prompting criticism and calls for a reduction in these benefits.
Some voices, such as that of former Prime Minister Moussa Mara, have called for a 70% reduction in these benefits in response to national emergencies, particularly the energy crisis.
The reform of the benefits paid to CNT members comes at a time of crisis in Mali, when a judicious allocation of these funds could help solve urgent national problems such as the energy crisis.
MD/ac/lb/as/APA