The NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye has refuted calms by Former President John Dramani Mahama that he hasn’t taken any ex-gratia in 2013 when he succeeded the late President Atta-Mills.
According to him, it is untrue for Mr. Mahama to insists in his campaign, he did not receive any ex-gratia in 2013 when he succeeded the late President Atta-Mills, on July 24th, 2012.
At a news conference on Friday, Kwame Baffoe Abronye aka ‘Abronye’ Mr. John Mahama lied to Ghanaians so far as payment of ex-gratia to him in 2013 is concerned adding “We would like to put on record that John Dramani Mahama did receive ex gratia in 2013”
Please read full statement below
PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE NPP BONO REGIONAL CHAIRMAN KWAME BAFFOE ABRONYE IN RESPONSE TO JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA CLAIMED THAT HE HASN’T TAKEN ANY EX-GRATIA AS THE FORMER PRESIDENT.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, Good Morning! Thank you for honoring our invitation to this press conference.
We have called you this afternoon to express our concerns about Mr. John Dramani Mahama, the opposition leader of the NDC, who has been spreading falsehoods in order to win the heart of the electorates.
One of his lies in this campaign is that, he John Dramani Mahama did not receive any ex-gratia in 2013 when he succeeded the late President Atta-Mills, on July 24th, 2012.
Ladies and gentlemen, former President John Dramani Mahama went on to say that he will cancel ex gratia if he wins this year’s election. In fact, former President John Dramani Mahama is known for peddling falsehood throughout his political life. He is also known for making false campaign promises in his campaign life.
Ladies and gentlemen, it must be stated emphatically that former president John Dramani Mahama cannot be trusted a little bit about his campaign message, especially the promise that ex-gratia will be canceled under his government. He cannot also be trusted because of his past broken promises. It would be recalled that, in the 2014 State of the Nation Address, Mr. John Dramani Mahama made a specific and firm statement that no government appointee in his administration would be allowed to purchase a vehicle or property. This was captured on page 56 of the 2014 State of the Nation Address, and I quote,”
Mr. Speaker, I also announced supplementary measures to stem corruption, including the cancellation of the convention of being able to purchase one’s official car or residence at the end of one’s public service’’.
Ladies and gentlemen, it would be surprising to note that Mr. John Dramani, who made this announcement on the floor of parliament, was the first person to have breached that statement. It is important to note that Mr. John Dramani Mahama, after his defeat in 2016, wrote a letter to the then transition team to allow him to acquire state property he was occupying as the head of state in 2016, which said letter was contrary to his own statement made on the floor of parliament in 2014. The screen displays the aforementioned letter.
Again, former President John Dramani Mahama, contrary to the statement he made on the floor of parliament referred to in the preceding paragraph, sold state vehicles to his cronies, girlfriends, and personal aides, such as Stanislav Xoese Kwasi Dogbe, Dzifa Attivor, Victor Smith, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Sedina Tamakloe, and Joyce Bawa Mogtari. Proof of purchase of state vehicles is shown on the screen.
Denial of Receiving EX-GRATIA
Ladies and gentlemen, it would be recalled that Mr. John Dramani Mahama, in one of his interviews with the media, categorically denied receiving ex-gratia in 2013. Former President John Dramani Mahama continued in the said interview that, if anybody has evidence that he was paid ex-gratia in 2013, that person should submit the evidence to the general public. .
We wish to state emphatically that Mr. John Dramani Mahama is not only a pathological liar but an untruthful person who should not be allowed to occupy the highest office of the land again. It is an undeniable fact that Mr. John Mahama lied to Ghanaians so far as payment of ex-gratia to him in 2013 is concerned. We would like to put on record that John Dramani Mahama did receive ex gratia in 2013.
Ladies and gentlemen, following the denial of Mr. John Dramani Mahama that he hasn’t received any ex-gratia in 2013 and that what he now takes from the state is his monthly pension. I wrote to the Controller and Accountant General Department under the Right to Information Act, Act 989, 2019 on October 23, 2023, to grant me access on ex-gratia paid to the former president. On the 4th day of April 2024, the Controller and Accountant General Department issued a response to my request.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Controller and Accountant General Department response is contrary to the claim made by the former president, who is the presidential candidate of the opposition NDC.
It could be gleaned from the controller’s letter that the former president was paid ex gratia in 2013 totaling 8,000,000 million Ghana cedis for the period he succeeded the late president in 2012.
Ladies and gentlemen, it could also be seen from the responses that Mr. John Dramani Mahama’s monthly pension, which is in the form of ex-gratia, has been increased from Gh29,899.00 in 2017 to Gh49,730.00. This information could be supported by the attached documents from the Controller and Accountant General Department.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is so surprising that, the man who denied Doctors arrears for 4 years is now taking 49,730 Ghana cedis every month in the form ex-gratia, the man who denied teachers who taught for 3 years monthly salary is now taking 49,730.00 every month , the man who said he is not a magician to create jobs for the youth is now taking 49,730 every month , the man who cancelled nurses and teachers training allowance is now taking 49,730 every month ,the who said Ghanaians like talking too much during his regime is now receiving 49,730 from the Ghanaians every month and the man who placed embargo on the public sector as the president is now enjoying 49,730 Ghana cedis every month, the man who said we should be ready to pay more electricity if we want ‘’Dumsor’’ to be resolved is now enjoying 49,730 Ghana cedis every month.
JDM HOAX PROMISE OF CANCELLING EX-GRATIA
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. John Mahama, who still enjoys the payment of ex-gratia as alluded to above, has made a hoax campaign promise to Ghanaians that his administration will cancel ex-gratia in 2025. That campaign promised is not only a hoax but an attempt to deceive the Ghanaian electorates.
As it would be recalled, the late president set up a constitutional review commission in 2011, which was chaired by Professor Albert Kodzo Fiadjoe. After the commission’s deliberation and consultations with the Ghanaian people, a report was submitted to the president on 20th December, 2011.
Ladies and gentlemen, on June , 2012 whilst the late president was on sick bed in the United States of America, Mr. John Mahama, who was then acting as president, issued a white paper in respect of the Constitutional Review report and, for his usual love for ex-gratia, accepted the recommendation from the commission that an Independent Emoluments Commission should be established to determine the salaries, allowances, and emoluments of all public officers, from the president to the lowest ranking public officer. This was contained in page 14 of the government white paper issued by John Dramani Mahama in June 2012.
Flowing from the above, it is clear that Mr. John Mahama cannot be trusted on his promise of canceling ex-gratia in the unlikely event that he becomes President of the Republic of Ghana. It is evidently clear that Mr. John Mahama loves or likes ex-gratia more than his wife Lordina Mahama.
We are therefore calling on the electorates to flatly reject the return of John Dramani Mahama to the Jubilee House. The 49,730, 00 Ghana cedis that he receives every month in the form of ex-gratia is enough for him.
How many teachers, nurses, doctors, or civil service or public servant workers receive that amount every month on retirement?
Thank you for coming.
