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Former President John Dramani Mahama must explain to Ghanaians why he failed to implement the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) White Paper on emoluments, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has said.
In the view of Mr Anyidogho, Mr Mahama must provide an answer to this question before his promise to scrap ex gratia payment will be accepted.
Mr Mahama has promised that he will scrap ex gratia when he gets the nod to lead this country again.
“The payment of ex gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped,” Mr Dramani Mahama announced when he launched his bid to be the 2024 Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“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,” he assured.
But commenting on his promise, Koku Anyidoho who is also Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta-Mills Institute said in a series of tweets that “You think we are all stupid so you can lie to us by saying you will scrap ex-gratia. They say prove that you are sincere, by refunding what you are enjoying; you respond with insults by telling us that we are “silly”. Yooo we hear you Mr. dead goat.”
What did he do with the White Paper on the Constitution Review Commission set up by President Atta-Mills, after he became President? He had more than 4 years to effect changes & he did not! Now he wants only 4 years to do what?
— Samuel Koku Anyidoho🇬🇭 (@KokuAnyidoho) March 6, 2023
He added “I don’t trust John Mahama if he says he will scrap ex-gratia. Why did he not implement the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) White Paper on, Emoluments? I am prepared to debate John Dramani Mahama on how he betrayed President Atta-Mills. I don’t trust him and will never trust him.
“As the, Founder and CEO of the Atta-Mills Institute, I have consistently said that we must implement the White Paper of the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) that was set up by President Atta-Mills. Is it not a shame that, someone ignored the White Paper, & is now insulting? I don’t hate anyone ooo: I speak to issues as boldly as my conscience allows me to.
“What did he do with the White Paper on the Constitution Review Commission set up by President Atta-Mills, after he became President? He had more than 4 years to effect changes & he did not! Now he wants only 4 years to do what?” He stressed.
Meanwhile, Mr Mahama who was unhappy with calls to him to refund the ex gratia payment made to him, described the demand by private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu as silly.
Addressing supporters of the NDC in the Volta region on Saturday, March 4, Mr Mahama said “I said categorically that when we come into office we will cancel ex gratia for the executives because the president is in charge of the executive, so he can cancel it for the executives but then you have to persuade the other arms of government to see that there is no fairness in continuing to pay ourselves ex gratia when the ordinary worker does not receive it because you are the leaders, you must show by example.
“If the economy is in crisis why should we continue to take ex gratia when the rest of the public and civil services don’t take it? So, I said categorically that we will cancel exgratia.
“And then somebody who should know better, a lawyer, he said, then I should refund all the ex gratia we took before to show Ghanaians that yes, we are serious about cancelling it, he does not even know the principle in our constitution that says that you can’t pass retroactive legislative if you pass legislative today, it does not affect what happened in the past, what he says is a bit silly because it is like saying because we have introduced free SHS all of us should go and get a refund of our school fees that we paid in the past. That is how silly what he is saying is.”
Mr Martin Kpebu had said it makes sense to ask Mr Mahama to return the ex gratia that he received after indicating that he is going to cancel its payment should he win the next elections as President.
As a sign of commitment, Mr Kepbu said, Mr Mahama should return all the payments made to him.
Speaking on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 4, Mr Kpebu said “Mahama made money whiles as president so he should look within himself and say look ‘I will return it’. He should return it because, in these national elections, they are going to do, hundreds of millions of dollars, where does it come from? They made money so the exgratia is small. So he should just tell the people ‘I have grown older, I think I have become wiser, I am returning the money,’ That exgratia he should return it
“You know Dan Kwaku Yeboah of Peace FM, I think he is the lead campaigner for Mr Mahama to return his ex gratia. When I looked at it I said yes it made sense. Mr Mahama should do introspection and return it as a sign of good faith, that once I have returned the money I am committed. Number two, the amendment he should put into writings.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
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