NDC Ready to Refund ESB

Prof John Atta mills, former Vice-President and NDC presidential candidate in last year's presidential elections, says he and his NDC colleagues are prepared to refund any excess ex- gratia awards paid them if it is established by any committee that they have been overpaid, reports the Weekend Statesman.

Addressing his first press conference since his defeat in last year's presidential elections, Prof. Mills said, if any overpayment is detected, then it in the moral responsibility of the recipients to refund the monies to the state. He, therefore, welcomed the reported moves by the NPP government to have the matter resolved.

Prof. Mills said most of these issues have come about as a result of the inability of the Transitional Team to finish its work. It is important, he said, for the Transitional Team to meet again to discuss issues to ensure transparency, adding that he would be the first to comply with any recommendations made.

Prof. Mills said it was rather unfortunate that ex-President Rawlings and his Ministers and appointees were accused of unjust enrichment by being improperly paid ex-gratia awards, when these were authorised under Article 71 of the Constitution. Given the present numerical strength of the NDC and the NPP in Parliament, and the global economic situation, he said, one would have expected co-operation, consultation and consensus, at least in the first few months of the NPP administration.