Suspend end of service benefit for past government officials-UGM

The United Ghana Movement (UGM) on Monday appealed to President John Kufuor to order an immediate suspension of actions on the payment of end of service benefits to officials of the defeated National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

A statement signed by Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, leader of the party, called on the President to order an immediate return of public vehicles, which have been sold to and registered in the names of former ministers and senior public officials of the former government.

UGM also appealed to President Kufuor to establish a committee to review the Greenstreet Report and make proposals for consideration and approval by parliament.

The statement said if there is any justification for the payment of benefits to public officials other than the former President, then it has to be done in accordance with the laws of the land.

It said in spite of the recommendations of the Greenstreet Report, and with the singular exception of former presidents, ''there appears to be no legal basis for the institution of end of service benefits to retiring public officials''.

''The recommendations of the Greenstreet Report that is being quoted to favour public officials of the out-going government even though reviewed twice, was never laid before parliament for debate and therefore does not have the full constitutional and legal backing for final decisions''.

The statement said since Ghana has a written constitution and practising democracy as well, there should be nothing like established conventions to be used as the basis for justifying the clearly self-serving actions taken by the former government.