Former President John Dramani Mahama who is seeking a second term in office has given the strongest assurance yet that there would be no payment of ex-gratia, when given the nod to lead Ghana again, albeit in a gradual manner.
There have been calls on government, led by civil society groups, over the years to cancel the payment of ex-gratia to Article 71 office holders, which proponents argue that the emoluments unfairly drain the already scarce national coffers.
“The payment of ex-gratia to members of the executive will be scrapped. The necessary Constitutional steps to take this will start in earnest in 2025.
“We will also persuade members of the other arms of government to accept its removal,” Mr. Mahama promised on Thursday.
The former president was speaking in Ho on March 2 when he launched his campaign to be elected flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Mahama noted said that he has studied the challenges confronting the country over the past five years and has gathered the solutions to these problems.
Already, Mr Mahama said, he has provided alternative solutions to the current challenges to the Akufo-Addo-led government.
“Some have lost all hope in the democratic process and believe that democracy is no better than other forms of governance.”
He added “our present state and its effect on the people trouble me a lot and this is why as you have observed, at every significant or wrong turn of the decision taken by this government, I have, with the benefits experience I have acquired, provided alternative solutions and even offered expertise and knowledge of some of my party colleagues to help get us out of these challenges.
“There is an increasing gap right now between Ghanaian society and the Ghanaian political system and it is one of the reasons why a change has become absolutely necessary at this particular time.
“Of course, I know how to deliver that badly needed change because, over the last four to five years, I have continued to study our problems, I have continued to listen to each and everyone of you and to a variety of scholars and experts and I can say with full confidence that I have learned a lot during the period I am speaking about and I am ready and able to be the kind of president that Ghanaians are looking for.”
Expressing disappointment in the New Patriotic Party government, Mr. Mahama stressed that: “This government has been clueless and in many ways callous the unthinkable has happened and our country today is broken on all fronts, Ghana is bankrupt.
“We are saddled with debts we simply can’t pay, we have suffered the global humiliation of defaulting on our debts and being downgraded by all credit rating agencies to the lowest level ever seen in our history.
“Our economy is in the worst ever shape with suffering and pain on an unprecedented level.”
The former president explained why he wants to form the next government.
“For the 2024 elections which I consider to be the most important and defining poll of our time, I have not taken this step lightly, it has been the product of months of prayer, broad consultations and sober reflections.
“I have searched my sole and paid close attention to your voices, to your daily struggles and to your present national predicament.
“At this stage, Ghana demands experience not experiment, Ghana demands togetherness and not divisiveness, now is the time for the bravery of heart and clarity of purpose.”