I took the pain to watch the interview of Former President John Dramani Mahama on TV3 where he stated that, my statement regarding his GH¢13million ex gratia in 2013 and subsequent GH¢15M in 2017 are absolute lies.
Mr Mahama added that he has never received any wholesale ex gratia, travel allowance, or any allowance of that sort since he left office in 2017 and thus, what he receives is his pension only.
It is important to reiterate that, I still maintain my position and further state that, Former President Mahama since his service in the public sector has never been truthful to his person nonetheless the ordinary Ghanaian. Clearly, Mr. Mahama has transmogrified from an incompetent former president to a horrendous liar and a charlatan.
This is not the first time Former President Mahama is telling a blatant lie about issues surrounding his ex-gratia (salaries and other allowances) due him.
It will be recalled that on 27th July 2018 Mr. Mahama through his personal assistant and cousin Mad Joyce Bawa who also receives salaries and allowances from the government speaking on Okay FM’s morning show stated categorically that, Former President John Dramani since he left office has not received any salary from the government and that, it is Mad Lordina Mahama who takes care of John Mahama. Attached is the link. https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Lordina-is-the-one-taking-care-of- me-Mahama-672839
However, Mr. Mahama in his interview with TV3 mentioned that he has been receiving his salary since 2017 till present.
Now, the question is why did the office of former president Mahama lie to Ghanaians in 2018 that, Mahama had not received salaries since 2017?
Clearly, it could be deduced that Mr. Mahama has developed the knack and penchant for peddling falsehoods about his ex-gratia issues in order to gain sympathy from the Ghanaian people because at the time in 2018 when he was complaining that he had not received any salary since he left office, an amount of GH 568,049.00 was credited into Mr Mahama’s ADB accounts, Adabraka branch.
It is ignorant for Mr MAHAMA to say he only receives pension (salary) and not ex gratia because under article 71 (3) of the 1992 constitution salaries, allowances and all other benefits paid to former ministers or whatsoever forms part of ex gratia.
In the same interview Mr Mahama stated that he pays his own travel expenses and that he has not received any travel allowances as recommended by Prof Dora Fransica Edu – Buandoh since he left office. This is again another big lie by Mr Mahama.
For the records, on 26TH November, 2017 a letter from the office of former President Mahama signed by Joyce Bawa Mogari with title “Travel Notice: 10th Anniversary of African Charter on Democracy Election and Governance (ACEG)” which was duly received and approved by the Office of President on 27/11/2017 stated that Mr will be attending the above anniversary from 4th December to 8th December 2017.
The Government of Ghana financed the said travel with an amount of $43,649.00 (Forty-Three thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-nine USD) where a receipt was duly issued by a travel and tour company known as Travel Matters LTD.
Also, on April 5 2018 Joyce Bawa wrote another letter to the office of the president titled “Travel Notice For H. E John Mahama and delegation” which was received by the Office of the President on 11/04/2018 where she stated that ‘Former President John Mahama will be travelling between 15 – 17 April 2018 for a pre – tana meeting with the Chair of the forum Olesengu Obasnjor’.
Subsequently, an amount of Thirty-Three Thousand USD ($33,000.00) was provided for the office of the Former President and also, all the accommodation and other expenses were paid by the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria.
Again, during the death of his brother, there was a chattered Air Force Flight fuelled by the Government of Ghana to his hometown.
If the Former President claims all these ex gratia does not amount to wholesale ex gratia does it mean these salaries amount to retail ex gratia?
Mr. MAHAMA must understand that he has been receiving all these benefits because of the position he occupies as a former President and not as an ordinary Ghanaian.
Does the ordinary Ghanaian who was not working under NABCO between 2012 to 2016 receive even 0.01% of what he is receiving?
What about the nurses who were receiving no allowances?
What about the ordinary Ghanaian who had no electricity to enjoy from 2014 to 2016?
To add to that, the claim by John Mahama that, the public purse has not been protected is a hoax because under the NDC administration between 2012 to 2016, Mahama supervised the payment of salaries to over 20,000 ghost employees who were all NDC foot soldiers and this cost the ordinary Ghanaian Taxpayer over GH¢85M every month which amounted to GH¢ 5.1 Billion for the 5 years presidency of Mahama.
However, under Nana Akufo Addo, an audit has been done and all these purported names who were NDC foot soldiers have been expunged from the payroll system which has saved the nation over GH¢6 Billion
Again, the take or pay dubious power deal in which Ghanaians were paying higher tariffs amounted to $3 billion.
Under Nana Akufo-Addo these dubious power deals have been cancelled and saved the nation $3 billion
Again, some GH¢ 420 M which was syphoned from the bank of Ghana by some persons at COCOBOD have been investigated and prosecution is ongoing.
Also, the $9 Million V8 contract which was signed by Mahama was renegotiated and additional 100 salon cars were added. These salon cars were given to the police service.
Again, Baffoe Bonnie one of the close aides of MAHAMA who was appointed to the NCA and some other persons who embezzled some $4 billion have been prosecuted and currently serving their jail terms.
Also, Venture Capital CEO Daniel Doku has also been investigated, prosecuted and convicted to refund GH¢18M.
Again, the renegotiation of the Pokuwase interchange reduced the initial amount from 94M Euros to 55M Euros.
Debts owned contractors as of 2017 was GH¢ 11 Billion but the same was re-audited after which only GH¢ 5.6 Billion was certified and a GH¢5.4 billion rejected. This was after Mr. Mahama personally connived with some contractors to dupe the Ghanaian Taxpayer this amount. It took the diligence of Nana ADDO to save Ghanaians this money.
In conclusion, it is a fact that Former President Mahama received ex gratia and in fact, is still receiving it therefore I wish to reiterate my call that Former President Mahama should stop taking these monies and accompanying benefits if indeed he feels the economy is in distress because his salary and other allowance is a great burden on the public purse.