Kwabena Duffuor is qualified to pontificate on ex gratia, not Mahama

An activist of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Edrolali Adjorlolo, has descended heavily on former President John Mahama for pontificating on the issue of ex-gratia to former officials of State.

In an interview, Mr. Adjorlolo says that Mr. Mahama’s praise of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XlV and his promise to review those payments if

Read full articlehe becomes president amouns to insincere populism.

“But when did Mr. Mahama realizes that ex-gratias are not healthy, given that he himself has enjoyed the same ex-gratia as the former President?” Mr. Edrolali Adjorlolo asked rhetorically.

According to him, “If there is any body more qualified to promise to scrap ex-gratia, it is not John Mahama but former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who never took ex-gratia for his service to the state.”

The take is in response to former President Mahama’s recent promise to review ex-gratias if he becomes President again over a future National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

Mr. Mahama who was a guest of honour at this year’s Asopgli yam Festival praised the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XlV for rejecting ex-gratia that was paid him by government but he thought he did not deserve saying the Togbe is worth emulating.
A euphoric Mr. Mahama then went on to promise that the next government of the NDC will review ex-gratia.

What is interesting is that, Mr. Mahama who left office in 2016 is widely perceived to have received his ex-gratia as former President from the current Akufo-Addo government.

He is also believed to have received ex-gratia throughout his days as Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, Deputy Communications Minister, Communications Ministr, Vice President and President.

But as Mr. Adjorlolo points out, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor who is a former Finance Minister and former Governor of the Bank of Ghana never took ex-gratia even though he similarly served in public office.

“There is a saying that you “must come to equity with clean hands.” if anybody can be trusted to review ex-gratia as president, it is the man who could have taken ex-gratia but refused it. Dr. Kwabena Duffuor is the caliber of man that we can trust to do something like that, not Mr. John Mahama,” said Mr. Adjorlolo.