AFAC threatens court action for delay in paying Kufuor's ex-gratia

Accra, March 17, GNA - The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFG) on Tuesday threatened to haul the National Democratic Congress' government to court if it continued to delay paying the ex-gratia entitlements of former President Kufuor and his Vice.

In a petition presented to the leadership of parliament in Accra on Tuesday, Mr James Bomfeh (Junior), spokesperson for AFAG, said they had given government two weeks grace period to react saying government's attitude contravened the demands of article 71 section 1 and 2 of the 1992 Constitution.

"We find this as an attack on the powers of parliament and an abuse of the separation of powers that should be accorded the various arms of government," he said.

He said AFAG was perplexed by President John A. Mills' set up of Ishmael Yamson Committee to vary the Chinery Hesse Committee's work, which parliament had already endorsed.

"Not only does this act constitute a fragrant disregard of the constitution but also amounts to President J.E.A Mills' arrogation to himself and the executive, powers the sovereign people of Ghana have not ceded them," he noted.

He said Former President J.A Kufuor and former Vice President Aliu Mahama and some members of the previous administration had not been taken care of as prescribed by the Constitution. Mr Bomfeh found it worrying that members of the previous parliament ha= d received what the Chinery Hesse report approved but the legislature was quiet about the delay of what was due former President Kufuor and his Vice. It, therefore, said to implore Parliament to exercise the constitutional right repose in them to exert its power as representatives of the people for the government to do what was right and respect the decision that the House had earlier on taken on the matter.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, member for Tamale South in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said Former President Kufuor's entitlements were being catered for by the Office of the Chief of Staff and two other nominees appointed by the former President.

He said that government had issued a cheque and made available one four wheel drive car and two Mercedes Benz cars and office accommodation. Mr Haruna, however, told the GNA that Former President Kufuor wanted his entitlements to be holistically given which government had accepted.

"Government will develop the institution of the former Presidents ove= r time for deserving entitlement of all retiring Presidents," he said. He stressed that whatever the constitution demanded in respect of the entitlements of the former Presidents' President Atta Mills' government would be committed to it.