Deputy Publicity Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, has alleged that former President John Dramani Mahama has spent about 32 million cedis on him since leaving office in 2017.
Owusu Bempah alleged that Mahama has personally benefited hugely from state funds and called on Ghanaians not to believe the former president’s criticism of wasteful public spending.
In a Facebook post, he said there was no correlation between responsible leadership and former President John Mahama, highlighting that the former president has claimed expenses on his current residential property and remuneration since 2017.
According to Owusu Bempah, Mahama also received 18 million cedis from taxpayers in addition to the 14 million cedis ex gratia payment.
Despite promising to abolish the pensions if he returns to power, Mahama continues to benefit from large amounts of state funding.
He elaborated that Mr Mahama retired on a salary of 22,809 cedis aside from a gratuity of 14 million cedis, which was subsequently increased to 35,000 cedis per month following the recommendations of the Presidential Remuneration Commission on the Conditions of Service of Article 71 Public Office Holders.
With this adjustment, Mr Mahama has received GH¢1,934,832.00 as tax-free salary since leaving office. In addition, he receives GH¢9,123.00 monthly as rent, bringing his housing allowance since 2017 to a total of GH¢629,487.00.
Owusu Bempah further alleged that Mr Mahama still enjoys the benefits of various services and staff provided by the state, while his nieces, Joyce Bawa Mogtari and Felix Ofosu Kwakye, also receive 9,000 cedis per month as allowance.
“He also has a fully furnished office in the Accra Cantonment, with communication equipment and the support of staff including cooks, waiters and gardeners.
“John Mahama has been provided with two chauffeur-driven Toyota Landcruiser V8s for his means of transport, maintained and comprehensively insured by the state. These vehicles will be replaced every four years, with each V8 costing 800,000 cedis, totalling over 1.6 million cedis.
“The state has also provided these vehicles with fuel at the rate of 2,000 cedis per week, totalling 324,000 cedis since 2017. In addition, the state has funded 18 official overseas trips by Mr Mahama totalling over $1 million.”
“In total, the amount of state funds greedily enjoyed by the former president is about 32 million cedis,” Owusu Bempah alleged.
He noted that President John Mahama is the only President under the Fourth Republic to have received such a generous pension and continues to enjoy an unprecedented exit pension package.
“I do not even want to mention all the rewards this ungrateful former President has enjoyed as a Member of Parliament, Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and President of Ghana. At this opportune time, I do not know which is more heartbreaking – Mr Mahama’s greedy self-indulgence or his hypocrisy and double standards. Perhaps the raison d’être of political correctness – something legal yet immoral. Indeed, in these times of recession when everyone is struggling, it is always interesting to know that Mr Mahama is actually draining the nation’s coffers while at the same time campaigning for re-election as President,” Owusu-Bempah concluded.
TWI News
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