Mahama paid ex-gratia to non-deserving appointees – Abronye alleges

Bono Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party, Kwame Baffoe (alias Abronye DC), has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of paying ex-gratia to persons who did not deserve to be paid.

According to him, the former president also made a U-turn on his promise to prevent government officials

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He alleged that Mahama in one instance requested his official residence at the time to be given to him after losing the 2016 elections while he also disposed off government vehicles to his cronies at a cheaper price.

Abronye DC stated that Mahama paid end-of-service benefits (ex-gratia) to some appointees who weren’t deserving of it as they had resigned or were relieved of their positions in the government.

“In 2014, Mahama went to Parliament during his State of the Nation Address to tell Ghanaians that when his 4-year tenure comes to an end, he won’t allow any minister, presidential staffer, Chief of Staff or deputies to buy a government car or house. Everyone applauded him for that.

“After losing the 2016 elections, Mahama who said he will prevent anyone from buying a government car or house was the first person to request from the transitional team that he be made to keep his residence at the time.

“He also said he had stopped the sale of cars at lower prices to government officials but after losing the elections, any ghost which passes by, he asks them to how much they can afford for a government vehicle.

“So a brand new car which was still costly at the time (around $43,000) was sold to an NDC person for GH¢10,000. Some of them too he paid end of services benefits to people who were not political appointees. Some were his girlfriends.

“One of such persons was Dzifa Attivor who we all know resigned on 23rd December, 2015. How come a letter was written then to claim that Dzifa Attivor was a government appointee and consequently received end-of-service benefits called ex-gratia? Sylvester Mensah was one too,” he explained in Twi during a press conference on September 19.

Background

Abronye DC has alleged that former President Mahama took ex-gratia of GH¢14 million in 2013 and GH¢15 million in 2017, a claim the former president has denied.

He alleged that the former president took the GH¢14 million ex-gratia through his Agricultural Development Bank Account and that he (Mahama) also received retirement benefits including his salaries, accommodation allowances, travel allowances, and salaries of his staff that summed up to GH¢15 million.

But Mahama has denied the GH¢14 million and has also said that he does not receive his full retirement benefits.

“They haven’t given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay for my own fuel, the state doesn’t give me fuel. I pay my own domestic staff; I pay my own medical bills. I pay for my own air tickets when I travel,” the ex-president said in a TV3 interview last week.

You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:



DS/SARA