Kufuor's Ex-Gratia Goes To CHRAJ

The Ghana Youth Movement (GYM) has filed a petition with the Commission for Human Rights & Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to compel government to come forward to explain the rationale behind the decision not to pay the ex'-gratia payments due former President Kufuor.

They have described the refusal of the current administration to resolve the issue of the ex-gratia payments to former President Kufuor and his ministers as a complete injustice which ought to be resolved.

"We are much surprised to have found out that the immediate past president of the republic of Ghana, His Excellency Mr. John Agyekum Kuffour and his entire staff, have not been paid for the past ten months now. We strongly believe that this is an abuse on his human right and an administrative injustice on the part of the government that must be corrected immediately," the petitioners wrote.

The petitioners, in the persons of Nana Agyemang Prempeh, who is the Spokesperson for GYM, Mr. Ivan Kwabena Tandoh and Kofi Owusu, members, said that this practice cannot be accepted anywhere in our current democratic dispensation that we are practicing."

"Sir, you will recall that when ex-president Rawlings became the immediate past president of this country, records show that there wasn't any month that he and his entire staff's salary were delayed by the NPP government when they took over. What is even more amazing is that whilst Former President Kuffour and his staff are not being paid, Ex-President Rawlings and his staff are enjoying their full benefits," the petitioners wrote.

"We will also like to remind the current president that when he was also the former vice president, he was never denied of his salary, and do not see the justification of putting ex-president Kufour and His staff under such heinous conditions," the petitioners further added.

The petitioners therefore appealed to CHRAJ to immediately compel the GOVERNMENT and the MINISTER FOR FINANCE, to release all salary areas to Ex-President Kuffour and his staff, to enable him perform his duties accordingly.

"We are also not comfortable to the muteness of civil society in this country on these matter such as IEA, CDD, THE CHRISTIAN COUNCIL, THE MOSLEM COUNCIL, THE PENTICOSTAL COUNCIL , PALIAMENTARIANS AND THE NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL.

"President Atta Mills Should remember as a good Christian as he calls himself, that it is written in the bible, do to others as you want others to do to you, and if he was not denied of his Salary when he was the Ex- Vice President of this country, then how come he is treating the Ex-President this manner.

"It was Ghanaians who voted Ex-President Kuffour to power to serve Ghanaians, just us you have also been voted to power and as we expect the state to do to you Justice when you leave office, please do same to your colleague.

"We hope you will use your good office to see justice done to the Ex-President and his staff," the petitioners concluded.