Host of Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV, Paul Adom-Otchere, has queried ex-President John Dramani Mahama on why he did not review the emoluments of Article 71 office holders during his time in office and is instead promising it if he is re-elected.
Adom-Otchere said ex-President Mahama is being disingenuous with his promise because if he was serious he would have carried out his review during his previous time in office.
His comments come after former President and NDC flagbearer hopeful, John Mahama, promised to complete a review of ex-gratia among other emoluments that was initiated by the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills.
Mahama had said: “The next NDC government must commit to the implementation of the review of the 1992 Constitution, which was begun by President John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory. This review should among others aim at reforming the judiciary and tackle head-on issues on ex-gratia payments and other matters of Article 71 emoluments,”
However in a quick riposte, Adom-Otchere questioned the motives of Mahama.
“Why are you (Mahama) waiting 8 years to continue it (the review process started Prof Mills) when you could have continued right when Prof Mills was buried? He (Mahama) has had four sessional addresses in parliament, no where did he talk about constitutional amendment. Why is he talking about it now?
“He can talk about it but he must acknowledge that yes, I was there but something happened and this time around I will do it. Then we are on even keel,” Adom-Otchere said.
“But this issue of talking as if he is a new candidate, I think president Mahama’s handlers must have a better way of presenting these things because we are going to query it,” he added.
Adom-Otchere added that he has been a long proponent of a constitutional review and even appeared before the review committee set up by Prof Mills to make his case for the reduction of the powers of the president but unfortunately, the committee failed to address the issues he raised.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com
