The office of the former President John Dramani Mahama has denied claims that he took GH¢14 million as ex-gratia payment in 2013.
In a statement signed by Special Aide, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, the office said the former President has never received anything close to such quantum of money for ex-gratia in all his life.
“President Mahama never took any such ex-gratia payment of GH¢14 million in 2013 or at any other time during his 25 years of service”, the statement said.
The former President’s office was responding to claims that the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC had made.
A few weeks ago, the former President promised that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will champion a review of the 1992 constitution to tackle issues such as ex-gratia payments and reformation of the Judiciary.
In response to this, Abronye DC poohpoohed the promise by claiming that Mahama himself received Ghc14million ex gratia.
“It will be surprising if any such payment had been made to the former President and has not been reflected in any of the numerous Auditor General’s reports presented to Parliament since 2013,” portions of the statement said.
It challenged the offices of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency to provide proof of the former President receiving the said amount in ex-gratia.
“We challenge the office of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency to provide proof of the payment of any such amount and stop using idle miscreants among its ranks to spread falsehood.”
Meanwhile, it has urged the public to disregard the claim.
“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. It will be surprising if any such payment had been made to the former President and has not been reflected in any of the numerous Auditor General’s reports presented to Parliament since 2013,” the statement said.