Legal Practitioner, Yaw Oppong, has said former President John Mahama’s request to keep his current place of abode as his retirement home is unlawful.
In a statement from Mahama’s office, the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, informed the new administration that the former president would like to keep the facility following discussions they had as a Joint Transition team.
The statement also argued that, the sixth Parliament, before its dissolution, approved that Mr. Mahama maintains the house as part of his retirement home.
But Mr. Oppong believes the former President’s request clearly contravenes the Presidential Transition Act.
“As I understand, he has no entitlement to this particular facility. In my view, the intent of the Presidential Transition Act is very clear that a day before the President and his Vice will cease to be President, they need to vacate their official residences and if they so wish , an alternate residence may be given them or they may occupy an alternate residence. The law is that you quit the premises so that an alternate premises will be given. If you do not comply with such mandatory provisions of the law, I don’t think there is any justification to come under the same law and seek for a relief,” the lawyer argued.
Request letter
A letter signed by former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, dated December 19, 2016, requested that the NPP allows Mr. Mahama to keep the current bungalow he occupies.
“Reference our (Osafo-Marfo/Debrah) discussion of 19th December, 2016 on the above-stated subject, we wish to indicate that H. E. President John Dramani Mahama would like to have bungalow No. 3, Prestige Link, Cantonments, Accra and its adjoining facilities as his official retirement home.”
“H.E. also wishes to have Bungalow No.6, 3rd Avenue, Ridge, Accra as his office. We count on your usual cooperation in this matter,” the letter added.
Don’t give Mahama bungalow
Mahama’s request came on the back of recommendations made by the Prof. Dora Francisca Edu- Buandoh committee tasked to review emoluments of Article 71 office holders, including the former president’s retirement package.
The committee recommended that the former president should not be given a house in Accra and another location of his choice outside the capital, as has been the norm; but instead Mahama should rather receive “40 percent of [his] salary to be paid monthly.”
This was a deviation from the Chinery-Hesse Committee Report (2001-2005) which said; former Presidents should receive “one fully furnished residence in the national capital and one out-of-capital residence at a location of the former President’s choice; all of which should not revert to the state in the event of the demise of the former President.”
The committee’s report sighted by citifmonline.com also recommended that John Mahama should retire on a salary of GH¢22,809, up from the non-taxable salary of GH¢15,972 previously approved for presidents.
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