AFAG wants ex gratia paid

Page 15, March 19,2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Alliance for Accountable Governance, a political pressure group has threatened to go to the Supreme Court to seek redress over what it viewed as the continued delay in the payment of ex gratia to ex-President Kufuor and ministers who served in his government.
The group gave the hint in a petition it presented to Parliament to impress on the House to exercise its constitutional powers to make the government to pay the ex gratia due former President Kufuor, his vice, Alhaji Aliu Mahama and other members of his executive based on the recommendations of the Chinnery-Hesse Committee.
“We wish to implore this august House to exercise the constitutional right reposed in it by the electorate by insisting on the executive to do what is right and respect the decision this honourable House has already taken”.
The statement, which was presented to the Speaker through the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, AFAG stated that should the government failed to heed to its plea, it would have no option than proceed to the Supreme Court to seek redress and strict adherence to the dictates of the Constitution.
It noted that it was unfortunate that notwithstanding the adoption of the recommendation of the Chinnery-Hesse Committee’s recommendations by the previous Parliament, President Mills set up the Ishmael Yamson’s Committee to vary the decision.
“Not only does this act constitute a fragrant disregard of the Constitution, it also seriously amounts to President Mills arrogating to himself powers which the sovereign people of Ghana have not ceded to him”, the statement said.
It added that it considered that action an attack on the powers of Parliament and an abuse of the separation of powers that should be accorded to the three arms of government.