'I've Paid Kufuor Ex-Gratia'

John Agyekum Kufuor

PRESIDENT JOHN Evans Atta Mills officially announced yesterday that his administration has finally paid former President John Agyekum Kufuor and Members of Parliament in the previous legislature, their gratuity or ex-gratia.

Answering questions from journalists at the Castle Gardens, Osu, yesterday on the protracted and controversial issue, President Mills indicated that the payments were made based on the recommendations of the Ishmael Yamson Committee, which he set up to review the Chinery-Hesse Committee report on ex-gratia for public office holders under Article 71 of the Constitution during the previous administration.

However, in an interview with DAILY GUIDE immediately after the announcement, spokesperson for former President Kufuor, Frank Agyekum, denied any payment of gratuity to his boss.

He explained that last December, an accountant from the Parliament House brought a cheque for an amount of GH¢97,000 issued in the name of President Kufuor to the former President's residence.

According to him, when former President Kufuor asked what the amount was meant for, the accountant could not explain but just said it was his ex-gratia.

The former President, he added, inquired if it was payment based on the Chinery-Hesse, Greenstreet or Ishmael Yamson reports, as the gratuity was a package comprising not only cash but offices, staff payment and vehicles.

Mr. Agyekum said further checks from the Chief of Staff, John Martey Newman, to clarify the issue, were unsuccessful as he never got back to former President Kufuor to explain what the cheque was meant for.

“The former President therefore asked the accountant to return the cheque as it was not accompanied by any explanatory letter, indicating what the payment was meant for,” Mr. Agyekum disclosed, further confirming that former President Kufuor had actually not received any gratuity, 12 long months after leaving office.  

President Mills set up the Yamson Committee following agitations by politically contrived groups like the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), led by agitator-general, Kwesi Pratt, against conventional wisdom to slash the ex-gratia of the MPs who served in the Fourth Parliament between 2005 and January 6, 2009, and former President Kufuor, as contained in the Chinery-Hesse Committee report and approved by the executive and legislature respectively.

President Mills' action was described by some political analysts as populist and without legal foundation.   

Some former MPs including, John Ndebugre who have described the conduct of President Mills as unconstitutional, even threatened legal action should the Chief Executive of the land ultimately reduce their ex-gratia.

Whilst interacting with journalists yesterday, the President also indicated his willingness to move into the Jubilee House if all security concerns were resolved.

Last year, the President indicated it was morally wrong to move into the new luxurious presidential palace when Ghanaians were living in abject poverty, saying the expenditure on the landmark edifice could have been used to alleviate the suffering of the people.

However, the President said yesterday he had not moved into the Jubilee House due to security considerations, giving strong indications that he will move in at the right time.

By Awudu Mahama