Scrap ex-gratia – Kweku Asare

Kweku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian professor, has called for the abolishment of payment of ex gratia to outgoing ministers of states, Members of Parliament, and the president.

According to him, this payment has no grounds in law, however is being demanded as if it was a statutory payment.

His comment follows a recent 10 per cent raise for Article 71 office holders including the president, his ministers, and Members of Parliament.

Mr Mahama, as president, is currently paid a non-taxable salary of GHS 15,972 but will be receiving GHS 22,809 per the raise.

As recommended by a report of the Presidential Committee on Emoluments signed by Prof Dora Francisca Edua-Buandoh, Mr Mahama and his outgoing government as well as the incoming government will receive the raise from January 2017. The increment takes retrospective effect from 2013.

This report has elicited mixed reactions from the Ghanaian public, with some calling on the incoming president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to review the payments.

Prof Asare wrote on his Facebook page on Friday December 20: “Ex gratia is a voluntary payment done out of kindness. It is what the Yankees call a tip! No employer is obliged to pay ex gratia. There is nothing in Article 71 (of Ghana’s constitution) that calls for the payment of ex gratia to Article 71 office holders. It is time to end this ex gratia gravy.”