The Communication Director of the New Patriotic Party in the Bole-Bamboi constituency Mr Gilbert Mujahid ,has admonished Ghanaians to ignore deceptive promise by former President John Dramani Mahama to scrap ex-gratia.
Former President John Dramani Mahama seeking a come back in 2024 has promised to scrap the payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive should he be re-elected in the 2024 elections.
Speaking at the launch of his campaign which took place in the Cedi Auditorium at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, in the Volta Region on Thursday, March 2, Mr. Mahama said he will take the necessary steps to scrap the payment as soon as he assumes power.
“The payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped. The necessary Constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025. We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal”.
However, Mr Mujahid in a statement urged the former president to kindly return his benefits as a sign of readiness and not the usual deception.
According to him the former President intolerant replied those asking him to return his ex- gratia benefits by saying “ You’re being silly by asking me to refund my ex-gratia.
“Kudos to the former President for mentioning the removal of the EX-gratia in his earlier speech. However I still find it difficult to comprehend on the basis and his readiness to put that into action due to circumstances that you have shown already hence, only playing to the gallery just to get your way this time again as usual”, he added.
He stated that the the former president after chopping ex-gratia as an MP, Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President, Acting President, President, Your wife the former 1st lady, Lordina Mahama is still taking Ex gratia and you want to convince us that with your four years left you will cancel EX gratia.
“You didn’t reject the GHS 568k in 2018 and GHS 729K in 2021 as ex-gratia. You are still receiving allowances at the expense of the state”Mr Mujahid noted.
According to the Communication Director in 2012, the former president John Mahama increased his salary under Article 71. He back-dated it to 2009.
And in 2016 under Article 71 it was increased again even though the former President had said in 2015 he will abolish it.
Constitutionally,he said the president has Presidential power to call for the removal of the ex gratia and subsequent amendments in the constitution through his attorney general and to the parliament for the necessary procedures and referendum.
He even increased his salary not to talk of removing a wage, Mr Mujahid indicated.
Practically, the current government, President Nana Akufo Addo irrespective of the global economic shocks is making effort to industrialize the economy with the introduction of 1D1F, making secondary education accessible to all Ghanaians (FSHS) among others, he added.
Source: yagbonradioonline
