The Economic Fighters League wishes to commend the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, for his decision to return to the state more than GHC 365,000 being ex-gratia payment for his work as a member of the Council of State from 2017 to 2021.
In explaining his reason for returning the immoral payment, the respected chief said, “I do not think my work merited the payment to me of a colossal amount of GHC 365,392.67 as ex-gratia in addition to the salaries I enjoyed from what was effectively a part-time job”. This act of conscience by Togbe Afede reinforces the long call by the Economic Fighters League and many other Ghanaians for the creation of a New Constitution on the basis of fairness and equity; that will completely abolish the phenomenon of ex-gratia, an immoral creation of the 1992 sakawa constitution.
The State must put the money returned by Togbe Afede XIV to good use. That amount can pay the allowances of up to 600 National Service Personnel whose payments are in arrears. It must be redirected there immediately.
It is worth noting that apart from the Council of State, other bodies whose workers are entitled to these immoral payments are Parliament, the President, Vice President, Ministers, CHRAJ Commissioners, NCCE commissioners, Electoral Commissioners, presidential staffers, MMDCEs etc. For example, each member of Parliament from 2017 to 2021 took GHC 390,768. It beats the imagination how a nation which is incapable of paying mere GHC 559 national service allowances or GHC 700 NABCO allowances finds it proper to dole out these obscene amounts as ex-gratia.
We call on all other beneficiaries of the immoral Article 71 which must be abolished in the New Constitution to follow the example of Togbe Afede especially as the criminal mismanagement of our economy has led to unbearable levels of hardship.
While commending Togbe Afede, we will like to encourage him to go beyond this praiseworthy act of conscience and join our call for a New Constitution, which will remove Article 71 and spare the nation the cycle of abuse of the public purse.
Revolutionary regards
Fighter Nii Aryee Opare
National Spokesperson
0243057600
Fighter John Koomson
National Spokesperson
0554044663
April 26, 2022
June 28, 2021
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