NDC says publication of ESB is sinister

NDC members of parliament said the publication of the End of Service Benefits (ESB) to out-gone members of government officials was done with a sinister motive to run the party down.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader and Mr Doe Adzaho, Minority Chief Whip said payment of ESB was a constitutional right and if the public found it repulsive "then they should call for amendment of that portion of the constitution that provides for it."

They said Article 71 that deals with retiring benefits of former state functionaries states, "the salaries and allowances payable, and the facilities available to the President, the Vice President, the Chairman and other members of the Council of State; Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, being expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund shall be determined by Parliament on the recommendations of the Committee referred to Clause (1) in this Article" Clause 1 lists all those who qualify to benefit from the constitutional provision.

Interacting with the parliamentary press corps at a soiree organised by the minority, the MPs said the publication was done with the blessing of the NPP government to make those who took their rightful entitlements appear as if they were callous, greedy and looted the state coffers.

Mr Adzaho said this was far from it and that the Committee of Whole (Parliament) had met and taken decisions on ESB for various categories of public and civil servants, including MPs, the Judiciary and the Executive.

He said the Accountant-General's Department approved the payment done on the calculations prescribed by the Constitution.

He said workers of State Owned Enterprises were paid ESB in 1992 when the PNDC cancelled it on the basis of those organisations which could generate sufficient incomes could continue to pay their workers.

"It was not the NDC that cancelled workers ESB. Workers who were covered with bargaining collective agreements were paid ESB in 1992, which was used as a cut off period" he explained.

Mr Adzaho said it was almost the same cut-off period that the 1992 Constitution was being drafted and which has restored those benefits.

As to whether any worker has ever benefited from that constitutional provision Mr Adzaho said, former members of government, PP, PNP and some of their spouses and former members of parliament including the NPP and NDC were paid Ex-Gratia awards.

"Even as far back as 1969 the NLC regime paid Ex-Gratia awards to its members before handing over to Dr Abrefa Busia'. he said

Mr Adzaho said: "If my memory serves me right, I remember Mrs Akufo-Addo, the mother of Nana Akufo-Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice was paid together with other spouses of former Presidents.

Mr Bagbin said the ESB issue was also part of decisions taken by the joint transitional team that saw the transfer of power from the out-going NDC government and the incoming administration of the NPP.

He said the ESB issue was being politicised by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs to divert public attention from the real issues at hand.