Former President John Dramani Mahama has described claims by the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye DC, that he received an ex-gratia of GH₵14 million in 2013 and GH₵15 million in 2017 as ‘rubbish’.
In an interview with Accra-based television, TV3, Mahama disclosed that the only payment made by the Accountant General to him was his presidential salary which was GHS230,000.
“I can bring you my bank statements, and later if you want we can call a group of journalists to look through all the payments and see if there’s a GHS14million payment, I didn’t receive any payment,” he added.
He further noted that all the other payments he makes himself, including water, electricity, rent, fuel, medical and air tickets for travel.
“I receive only my monthly pension like President Kufuor and President Rawlings were receiving before he died. That is all I get.
“I pay the electricity bill for my house and my office, I pay the water bill for my house and my office. I live in my accommodation so the State does not pay me anything for accommodation.
“They haven’t given me an office, I rent an office in East Cantonments, I pay the rent myself, I pay my own fuel, the State doesn’t give me fuel, I pay my own domestic staff, I pay my own medical bills, I pay my own air tickets when I travel…”
This comes after Abronye DC in a press release dated September 6, 2022, alleged that the former president took the GH¢14 million ex-gratia in his Agricultural Development Bank Account.
He went on to say that the GH15 million ex-gratia for 2017 was a total of all the perks Mahama receives as an ex-president of Ghana, including his pay, accommodation allowances, travel allowances, and staff salaries.
However, a statement signed by the Special Aide to the former President, Joyce Bawah Mogtari stated that the former President “never took any such ex-gratia payment of GH¢14 million in 2013 or at any other time during his 25 years of service.”
“We urge the public to ignore the unintelligent rants of the said Kwame Baffoe who has gained notoriety for fabricating and propagating falsehood on behalf of Nana Akufo–Addo against John Mahama. His claims are false,” the statement said.
It, therefore, challenged the offices of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency to provide proof of the former president receiving the said amount as ex-gratia.
