Mahama campaign launch: Promises cunning and populist

The one time president of Ghana and three time flagbearer of National Democratic Congress, former president John Dramani Mahama ones again is aspiring to lead his party ahead of 2024 general elections.

Mr. Mahama, launched his campaign on Thursday, 2nd March 2023 at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in the Volta region to announce to members of his party and the general public his readiness and intention to lead the NDC as flagbearer.

A mouth-watering promise by Mahama that has taken the centre stage of the airwaves is his promise to scrap pension benefits of Article 71 holders widely known as ex-gratia.

"We will continue to bring to conclusion the constitution review process began by president Atta Mills including a review of controversial article 71 to reduce the number of office holders, and remove the disparities in privileges and emoluments vis a vis the public and civil service. The payment of ex-gratia of members of the executive under article 71 will be scrapped."

If we are to go by the report of the constitution review commission headed by Prof.Albert Kodzo Fiadjoe, as referred to by Mr. Mahama, I beg to differ why he is proposing the scrap of ex gratia of the executive under article 71?

Page 14, Issue Eight: Determination of the Conditions of service of some Public Officers by the president

Government accepts the recommendation 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 officers.

Page 24 Issue Four: Conditions of service of public officers

Government accepts the CRC recommendation for the constitutional establishment of an independent Emoluments Commission and for the amendment of fair wages and salaries Commission Act, 2007 (Act 737) to reflect the proposed regime on Conditions of service of public officers.

Page 24, Issue Six: Retirement Benefits, pensions and gratuities of public officers

Government accepts the CRC position that the determination of this issue is best left to the proposed independent Emoluments

Government is, however, of the opinion that the administrative action on the SSNIT suggested by the CRC is not a constitutional matter and must, therefore, be considered within the ambit of the law establishing the SSNIT.

Interpretations

Page 14, Issue Eight

There is always an emoluments Committee set up by a president to determine salaries, allowances and gratuities of some public workers know as Article 71 holders. The CRC proposes to government to establish an Independent Emoluments Commission that will determine the salaries, allowances and emoluments of all public officers including the article 71 holders and government accepts that.

Emoluments Commission from 1993 to date

Greenstreet Committee 1993-1997

Greenstreet Comittee 1997-2000

Chinery-Hesse Comittee 2001-2005

Chinery-Hesse Comittee 2005-2009

Awurama Addy Comittee 2009-2013

Edu-Boandoh Committee 2013-2017

Yaa Ntiamoah Baidu 2017-date.

Page 24, Issue Four, as the government accepts an Independent Emoluments Commission for all government workers, it also accepts that there should be an amendment of fair wages and salaries Commission Act.

The fair, wages and salaries Commission determine salaries and allowances of public workers other than Article 71 workers. The need to amendment Act of the said commission since there has been a change in Commission to determine salaries of all public workers.

Page 24, Issue Six

The Independent Emoluments Commission will determine the retirement benefits of all public workers and that a need to amend laws of SSNIT which currently works on retirement packages of all public officers other than article 71.

These are the proposals by the CRC that seek to address the gap between Article 71 holders and other public workers.

Mahama's promise to scrap payment of ex-gratia of members of only the executive is not what the CRC proposes and not what Ghanaians are expecting as far as Article 71 holders and their emoluments and that of other public workers are concerned.

What benefits does the teacher, nurse, agricultural extension officer gets when the ex-gratia of only members of the executive is scrapped?

His promise, defies that of the proposals of the report of the Constitution review commission.

Besides his deviation from the proposals of the CRC, Mahama's posture on gratuities of Article 71 holders recently is evident to say his promise is vague and cunning.

Again, when did he realise that there is a need to scrap ex gratia of executive members of Article 71?

White paper was issued on the report of CRC on 2010, he was then a vice president, and later president for four years. If he really wanted to implement the CRC report he could have done that some 10 years ago.

Mahama as president chose to scrap little allowances for teacher nursing training allowances leaving the crock of Gold of Article 71 holders.

Mr. Mahama is only trying to deceive Ghanaians to achieve his presidential ambition. Article 71 holders and their emoluments has been a greater concern of all Ghanaians especially in this difficult times. He doesn't mean his promise he's only showing a deceived emotions.