The next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will review the 1992 constitution.
This is according to former President who told a meeting of NDC lawyers that a focus area for the review will be the matter of ex gratia for Article 71 ofice holders.
“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,” Mahama stated.
Ex-gratia for Article 71 office holders remains the subject of serious controversy in Ghana. Recently, the controversy was stirred up again ffter Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, refused an ex gratia payment from the Akufo-Addo government on grounds that it was not deserved.
The respected Togbe Afede XIV who had served as a member of the Council of State between 2017 and 2020, while refunding the money stated that “I returned the ex gratia money not because I did not need money. In fact, at that particular time, I needed money very badly to meet various family obligations.
“But I truly believed that the money was not deserved. It was inappropriate for what I will emphasize again was essentially part-time work.”