Scraping ex-gratia: We can only trust Mahama's promise when he surrenders his benefits – NPP MP

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro, Sylvester Tetteh, has told former President John Dramani Mahama to give up his retirement benefits his he is serious about scraping them when he comes to power again.

Speaking on Joy News’ NewFile programme, on Saturday, March 5, 2023, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, Sylvester Tetteh said that Ghanaians will only take Mahama’s promise seriously if he stops taking ex-gratia.

He added that the former president should follow the example of the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, who rejected his ex-gratia in 2021.

“No Ghanaian trusts former President Mahama on this matter except his own NDC people who trust him. He happens to choose where his own NDC people were only chanting and were excited but not to interrogate the man and interrogate the issues.

“If indeed he means what he is saying he has an opportunity to demonstrate to Ghanaians. In this country, Togbe Afede said he doesn’t what to take his ex-gratia so he is giving it to the country.

“You want to be president again and you are enjoying the benefit of Article 71 office holders, you want to scrap. So, the best test for you is to surrender it. Then we can trust you,” the NPP MP said.

Meanwhile, former President Mahama has challenged the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to state their position on the ex-gratia payment to Article 71 officeholders.

In a tweet shared on Sunday, March 5, 2023, the former president said that rather than criticising his promise to scrap ex-gratia, the NPP should state their position on the issue which is at the heart of every Ghanaian.

“Does the NPP support my call for the scrapping of the payment of ex gratia to members of the executive or not?” parts of the tweet.

Promise to end ex-gratia and run a lean government:

Former President John Dramani Mahama has promised to scrap the retirement benefit given to the Executive under Article 71 officeholders, known as ex-gratia when he becomes president again.

According to him, his government will start the constitutional processes to scrap ex-gratia in the first year of his administration.

The former president, who made these remarks at the launch of his campaign to become the flagbearer of the NDC on Thursday, added that his government would also work to scrap ex-gratia benefits given to appointees under the other arms of government.

"The payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive under Article 71 will be scrapped. And the necessary constitutional steps to abolish that payment will start in earnest in 2025.

"We will also begin the process of persuading the other arms of government other than the executive to accept the removal of this ex-gratia payment," he said.

Watch the interview below:

Mahama's ex-gratia promise: We can only trust Presdient's Mahama's promise when he let's go of his benefits as well.

- Sylvester Tetteh [MP, Bortianor, Ngleshie Amanfro] #Newsfile pic.twitter.com/WBXzbziLkr

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) March 4, 2023