President Mahama has broken his oath of office - Appiah-Ofori

Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori has categorically stated that President John Mahama has broken the law by working for profit whiles in office as President.

The President in accordance with the dictates of Article 68 of the 1992 constitution filed his 2012 Tax returns at the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) office at Kinbu in Accra on Tuesday.

The President revealed to the media after filing that, the tax paid were the proceeds of his book ‘My First Coup D’état’ and gifts he had received over the 2012 fiscal year.

P.C Appiah-Ofori however believes the President has violated the Fourth Republican Constitution by working to make profit and by extension broken his oath of office because he swore to uphold the constitution.

He further quoted Article 68 of the Constitution to buttress his point: “The President Shall not while he continues in office as President, hold any other office of profit or emolument whether private or public or whether directly or indirectly”.

“It is clear from what I have read from the Constitution that the President has broken the law by engaging in a profit making venture,” he argued.

The former law maker further questioned how the President arrived at the tax he paid.

“If for example, you make a profit of ten million, the tax you are to pay is ‘X’ so did he declare all that”? If he did not declare that and went ahead to pay the tax, then, how did he arrive at the figure payable”? he asked.

The out-spoken Member of the NPP said “the President might have broken a lot of laws by this action”.

The Former legislator for Asikuma-Odoben- Brakwa Constituency made these claims when Asempa Fm sought his views on the President filing his tax returns.

According to the former law maker, the President said the tax was for the “2012 fiscal year” and did not indicate to the press if the payable tax was for before 24th July, 2012 when he ascended the Presidency.