"Mahama Never Took Home GH¢14 Million In 2013 As Ex-Gratia" - Special Aide

The Office of Former President, John Dramani Mahama has denied claims that he took home an amount of GHc14 Million in 2013 as his Ex-Gratia.

The office is, therefore, urging the general public to debunk what it calls another false and scurrilous claim by Kwame Baffoe, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In a statement signed by the Special Aide to H.E John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, she said "President Mahama never took any such ex-gratia payment of GH¢14 million in 2013 or at any other time during his 25 years of distinguished public service. Fortunately, ex-gratia payments are a matter of public record and are available in the office of the Chief of Staff or the Controller and Accountant General's Department" 

The statement further added that it is challenging the office of the Chief of Staff and Presidency to provide proof of the payment of any such amount.

The Office of Former President Mahama charged government to stop using its idle miscreants among its ranks to spread falsehood. 

"It will be surprising if any such payment had been made to the former President and has not been reflected in any of the numerous Auditor General’s reports presented to Parliament since 2013"

"We know that it is a stock in trade of President Akufo-Addo and his cronies to launch a campaign of calumny and false allegations against the personality of President Mahama anytime they have their backs against the wall"

"As usual, this latest falsehood is a failed decoy to suppress the national discussions about the hardship Ghanaians are going through because of the clueless, inept, hopeless incompetence and poor governance of the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia administration" 

"It is a porous response to John Mahama’s promise to urgently re-look and review issues related to the emoluments of Article 71 office holders including ex-gratia payments"

The office reiterated the points made by President Mahama recently, saying the next NDC Government will run an administration with a leaner government and far less ministers than Ghana has ever seen and ensure a cut in waste and exercise of frugality in everything Government does. 

"The NDC is also committed to the implementation of a review of the 1992 Constitution, which should among others, place a cap on the number of Supreme Court Justices and face the issues of Article 71 head on"

 Below is a copy of the release:

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith