Former President John Dramani Mahama has announced his intention to scrap off the payment off ex-gratia to officials of the executive under Article 71 of the 1992 constitution, should he re-gain power as the next President of the Republic of Ghana.
Mahama speaking at the launch of his campaign at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Cedi Auditorium in Ho, Volta Region on Thursday, March 2, indicated that he will take the necessary steps to scrap the payment as soon as he assumes power.
“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.”
He also promised to restore the trust in state institutions by addressing “issues pertaining to the exercise of powers of the president, proper separation of powers, strengthening of Parliament, restoring the independence of the judiciary, independent and quasi-state institutions and depoliticizing them.
“These will take the centre stage of the new administration,” he added.
The former president also took a swipe at Akufo-Addo’s government for worsening the poverty levels in the country.
The “cluelessness and the harrowing dismantling of our progress by the NPP government has damaged and killed many bright dreams of the country.”
“This government has been clueless and, in many ways, callous. We are saddled with debt, and we have been downgraded by every rating agency and inflation has gone off the roof, sending people into abject poverty,” Mr. Mahama told a cheering crowd at the Cedi Auditorium.
