Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has been criticized by a large number of Ghanaians on social media for using what have been described as “insulting words” toward his critics who doubt his sincerity to cancel ex gratia payments. These critics have questioned the former president’s commitment to cancel ex gratia payments.
In a speech given to NDC party delegates in the Volta Region, the former president stated that if the people of Ghana vote him back into office, he will end the constitutional practice of providing ex gratia payments to those who hold Article 71 positions.
But because he has been one of the longest and biggest beneficiaries of ex gratia payments as a four-term MP, Vice President, President, and ex-President for the past 27 years under the Constitution, many people have cast doubt on his honesty and commitment to fulfill his promise to cancel what he has benefitted from for years.
These doubts stem from the fact that he is one of the longest and biggest beneficiaries of ex gratia payments.
Additionally, individuals such as Lawyer Martin Kpebu have requested that the former President return any ex gratia payments he received in order to demonstrate that he genuinely detests receiving such payments and to demonstrate faith in his promise to the people of Ghana.
To many people’s surprise, however, former President Mahama became vitriolic, launching scathing attacks on those who commented and describing their suggestions as “silly.” He also called the comments “ridiculous.”
“I stated unequivocally that we will not be providing any free services. And then somebody who should have known better, a lawyer, said that I should then refund all of the ex gratia we took before to show that we are serious about canceling it.
He is so ignorant that he does not even know about the provision in our constitution that states it is impossible to enact legislation with a retroactive effect. If new laws are enacted today, they will not change anything that has already occurred.
And what he says is a bit ridiculous because it’s the same as saying that because we have implemented free secondary school, all of us should go and get a refund of the school fees that we paid, and so on and so forth,” “former President Mahama said.
However, many Ghanaians, in addition to disagreeing with the analogy of the Mahama, have also expressed surprise at his disrespect toward his critics. This is something that many Ghanaians find surprising.
In light of the fact that Togbe Afede and Rebecca Akufo-Addo are on record as having returned ex gratia payments, many people have wondered what is preventing former President Mahama from returning the ex gratia payments he has been receiving for over two decades.