Ignore John Mahama's Deceptive Promise To Scrap Ex-Gratia - NDP

The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Party,NDP, Ampah Amoasi Gideon has admonished Ghanaians to ignore deceptive promise by former President John Dramani Mahama to scrap ex-gratia.

He said Ghanaians who take Mahama serious, do so at their peril.

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, the National Youth Organizer of NDP, Gideon Ampah says “you take John Mahama serious about ex-gratia at your own risk. He is the most confused and populist politician I have seen. Last year he and his relative, Madam Adishetu Bawa(Joyce Bawa) were fighting about ex-gratia. Even his wife Lordina, refused to return her money like the beautiful and intelligent Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira Bawumia did. If this man promises you to scrap ex-gratia, tie ne din”.

Gideon Ampah provided historic antiquity of ex-gratia to expose what he says ,”scam promise” by John Mahama.

“Let me take you back to history. Purely a scam.On January 10, 2010, the late President, J.EA. Mills, inaugurated the Constitution Review Commission, which had Prof. Raymond Atuguba as a member.The Commission presented its proposals/report to late President Mills on 20th December, 2011. One key proposal from the Commission was on ex-gratia. The Commission proposed that the current structure of ex-gratia be scrapped and an Independent Emoluments Commission(IEC) be created to determine and review all emoluments of all public officers in context of the prevailing economic condition which the Mills/Mahama government accepted”

He continued that ,”in fact, John Mahama has claimed he is a champion of this proposal of scrapping ex-gratia for the IEC to determine salaries of all public officials. In October 2011, the late Prof. J.E.A. Mills set up the Professor Ewurama Addy Emoluments Committee for Article 71 office holders as expected.During the inauguration of the Committee, the late Prof. Mills proposed to the committee to scrap the current arrangement which enjoins the state to build houses for Presidents of the country after they have served their tenure. And he said that should start after his tenure” .

Gideon Ampah continued “unfortunately, we lost him and probably lost his proposal as well because we never heard of it again. From 2011 to 2016, the proposals from the CRC were never implemented neither was the scrapping of ex gratia. We only heard of IEC again in 2015 when Mr. John Mahama asked for the support of Organized Labour to abolish ex-gratia to be replaced by IEC.

“As if that was not enough in January, 2016, Mr. John Mahama, as required by the constitution formed another emoluments Committee headed by Professor Dora Francisca Edu- Buandoh, with Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, Dr. William Baah Boateng, Mrs. Norkor Duah and Mrs. Lydia Lariba Bawa(Who Mr. John Mahama had appointed as Commissioner of Insurance in 2013, and i won’t say because she is Bawa, she is related to Joyce Bawa) as members”.

He said John Mahama had forgotten about the scrapping of ex-gratia and his advocacy for IEC. He also forgot how hard the economy was and rather the committee he formed proposed 10% salary increment for him and others.
As if that was not enough, after his one term as President, he wanted the Vice President’s villa which we are told had a lot of bedrooms and has been a place occupied by Vice Presidents of Ghana.

This man wakes up again in 2021 and again proposes the IEC when the first lady allowance became topical. And today he says? He is just not serious. He had every opportunity to do that but refused because of his personal interest.”.

Gideon Ampah stated that from 2011 to 2016, with Prof. Raymond Atuguba as executive secretary,”he couldn’t implement his so called baby but will find his voice to about these things with the support of his footsoldiers. We have short memories indeed”.