Government has discounted claims by some media houses that officials of the previous NDC administration including the president, John Dramani Mahama, his ministers and their deputies had received ex gratia.
An official statement issued by Hon Mahama Ayariga, the Information and Media Relations Minister on Monday was explicit that officials of the previous administration “who served in various ministerial and deputy ministerial positions, including presidential staffers, from 7th January 2009 to 7th January 2013 have not been paid their ex gratia for that period”.
According to the statement, “The payment of ex gratia, so far, only applies to members of the legislature”.
“The allegation that members of the political elite have paid themselves lump sum ex gratia awards and yet are asking other public servants to accept installment payments for arrears of their 2012 allowances is untrue”.
“Ministers and Deputy Ministers may only receive their ex gratia when the concerns of other non article 71 office holders’ have been equally attended to,” the statement said.