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Former President John Mahama has denied receiving an amount of GH¢14 million in 2013 as ex-gratia.
According to the ex-president’s aide, the said claims are fabrications targeted at denting the reputation and credibility of John Mahama.
In a September 5, statement, the aide – Joyce Bawah Mogtari – said “President Mahama never took any such ex-gratia payment of GH¢14 million in 2013 or at any other time during his 25 years of distinguished public service.”
A portion of the statement read that “the Office of HE John Dramani Mahama has become aware of another false and scurrilous claim by a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, that former President Mahama … took home the fattest ex-gratia of GH¢14 million in 2013…”
She therefore urged the public to “ignore the unintelligent rants of the said Kwame Baffoe who has gained notoriety for fabricating and propagating falsehood on behalf of Nana Akufo-Addo against John Mahama.”
Noting that ex-gratia payments are a matter of public record she underscored that it will be surprising if any such payment had been made to the former President and has
not been reflected in any of the numerous Auditor General’s reports presented to
Parliament since 2013.
Madam Mogtari also challenge the office of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency to provide proof of the payment of any such amount and stop using idle miscreants among its ranks to spread falsehood.
In her view, the allegation is a failed decoy to suppress the national discussions
about the hardship Ghanaians are going through.
“It is a porous response to John Mahama’s promise to urgently re-look and review issues
related to the emoluments of Article 71 office holders including ex-gratia payments.”
