Kufuor misses ex-gratia although MPs paid

John Agyekum Kufuor, former president of the Republic of Ghana Former President Kufuor has been left out in the payment of ex-gratia packages to former government officials. Though several ex-officials, including Members of Parliament (MPs) who served between 2004 and 2008 have been paid what government officials have called a final ex-gratia package for their services, the former president’s spokesman says Mr Kufuor has not received his package. Mr Frank Agyekum also said he, as a former Deputy Information Minister, has not received anything from the State in end-of-service benefits. Although Majority Leader in Parliament, Alban Bagbin, believes the payments should end the controversy surrounding the matter, Minority Leader, Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, said government still owes the MPs one month’s “resettlement grants.” “Thus far, I think the six months have been paid and we are left with the outstanding one month,” he told Joy News parliamentary correspondent Sammy Darko. “I’ll say, for now, about 6/7 of the entitlements as prescribed by Chinery Hesse II has been paid.” The Minority Leader dismissed suggestion that the ‘settlement grant’ was reserved for MPs who are out of office. “You enter into contract to serve for four years; at the end of the fourth year, your tenure comes to an end, so if there are any benefits, they should accrue to you,” he said. The payment of end-of-service benefits to MPs and other government officials was subjected to months of debate when the ruling party assumed office earlier this year. The public outcry was strong enough to warrant an order by President Mills for a review chaired by consultant and former chairman of the Unilever board, Dr Ishmael Yamson. Although the payments were earlier thought to have been stalled, the latest development must bring closure to the long-drawn controversy that has rocked ex-gratia payments. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana