The brouhaha over payment of ex gratia to public service holders has been revived following the selfless recent action by the Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV.
Togbe Afede XIV recently issued a statement in which he disclosed he had refunded a sum of GHC365,392.67 paid to him for his service as a Council of State member from 2017 to 2020 but his action has attracted mixed feelings.
While some people consider his action as honourable, others argue he has slighted the other public servants who received their ex gratia.
Some critics like broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere also bashed the Chief for returning his ex gratia.
Paul Adom-Otchere argued that Togbe Afede XIV must refund more money than the ex gratia because he failed to attend meetings by the Council.
According to him, out of 242 meetings held by the Council in 48 months, the Chief attended only 39 representing 16% but despite his failure to attend majority of the meetings, he “collected all his salaries and other benefits”.
Touching on the issue of the ex gratia during a panel discussion on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, a Social Commentator, called for a halt in the payment of ex gratia to the public service holders.
Particularly mentioning Parliamentarians and explaining it's taxpayer's money that is used to remunerate them, Allotey asked them to agree to forfeit their ex gratia so it can be used to develop the country.
"From the Presidency to all government appointees, for the next two years, there should be no ex gratia until our economy improves...We are in hard times, so they should stop the payment of ex-gratia", the onetime kingpin of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) stressed.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Impossible , even if it means selling the whole of the Achimota forest or the jubilee house to a foreigner to enable them get money to pay themselves exgratia, they will do it. It has become obvious from 1992 to present that politicians in Ghana are there representing themselves not the people. It's high time we move on and forget there is anything like political leadership in Ghana. If you are waiting for this crooks to come and make life better for the citizens it won't happen. In Ghana politics is big business more lucrative than the drug trade. How can a chamber and hall occupant, a bicycle or motorbike rider, some used to board trotro from their villages to the capital towns, we know them and they know we know them. Within a matter of 48 months this person overtakes his father or mother who have been working for 30-35 years with mansions, fleet of cars, money and other freebies.
Hahahaaaa, Allotey Jacobs paaa, you want some people's blood pressure to rise? They are in politics because of the exgratia and you say what. Please don't let people die prematurely, some have already spent theirs even before it's paid. Kindly allow sleeping dogs to lie.