Sylvester Tetteh, vice chairman of the communications committee in parliament, has voiced his unenthusiasm with former president John Mahama’s reelection campaign rhetoric.
He pointed out that the former President’s pledge to do away with ex-gratia is meaningless and that it will only be accepted seriously if he foregoes all the advantages he has had from the same policy.
He claimed that Mr. Mahama is the nation’s greatest beneficiary of Article 71 in its history.
“He has an opportunity. If indeed he means what he’s saying, he has an opportunity to demonstrate to Ghanaians.
“In this country, Togbui Afede said he doesn’t want to take his ex-gratia so he’s giving it to the country – and you want to be president again, and you are enjoying the benefits of Article 71 office holders you want to scrap. So the best test for you is to surrender it,” he said.
Speaking on JoyNews on Saturday, the legislator speculated that although the message of the former president may be valid, he cannot be trusted, saying he’s the “wrong messenger.”
He added that much as Mr Mahama was unsuccessful at scrapping ex-gratia during his tenure due to his inability to garner support, his personal decision should have made the difference.
Mr Tetteh, however, said that aside from Mr Mahama’s party supporters, no Ghanaian trusts his policies in that although he had been in office for a long period of time, he could not effect such a change.
He explained that, with the desire to make such a change, the former president should have set an example when he was no more in power.
Former President John Dramani Mahama launched his campaign on Thursday, March 2, in a bid to contest for the flagbearership position of the NDC.
Mr Mahama has run for Ghana’s highest office three times, losing in the last two elections to current President Nana Akufo-Addo.
His campaign begins as Ghana’s struggling economy is the country’s top concern.
At the campaign launch, he promised to scrap ex-gratia under Article 71 if given the nod to lead the country as its president.
He also said he will stage a probe into public funds, especially Covid-19 funds and appoint a maximum of 60 ministers and among others, should he be given the nod to regain power.