Gov't: We’ve Paid Mahama’s Ex Gratia

Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has dismissed allegations that government has not paid wages and other gratuities due former President John Dramani Mahama.

According to him, as of July 18, the government had settled all payments owed former President Mahama.

There have been reports that the former President has been handed a raw deal by government and has not been catered for as an Article 71 holder. However addressing the press, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the allegations are false

“As far as I know, he has been paid his ex gratia, he has been paid all arrears of his salary. He has been paid fully for this year 2018. Even as of July 18, his payments had gone through so we do not have issues with that.

“Nobody is going to stay in politics forever so you want to treat everybody in the manner that is befitting and it is not in the interest of the current administration to treat him in an untoward way.”

Article 71 office holders include the President, the Vice-President, the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court.

The rest are Members of Parliament (MPs), Ministers of State, political appointees and public servants with salaries charged to the Consolidated Fund but enjoying special constitutional privileges.

Article 71 (1) and (2) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that the determination of the salaries and allowances of the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary paid from the Consolidated Fund would be determined by the President, on the recommendations of a committee of not more than five persons appointed by him and acting upon the advice of the Council of State.