General News of Thursday, 13 September 2018
Source: Daniel Kaku
2018-09-13
Brong Ahafo Regional First Vice Chairman of the NPP, Kwame Baffoe
Maverick Brong Ahafo Regional First Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has alleged that the wife of the former President, Mrs. Lordina Mahama was receiving 82,000 US dollars as her per diem when NDC was in power.
Mr. Mahama had purportedly said the current development where family members of President Akufo-Addo have been appointed to occupy key government positions makes a mockery of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) criticisms of him [Mahama] when the party was in opposition.
“The thing is in politics, be careful what you say because tomorrow it will come to haunt you; and that is exactly what is haunting them [NPP]…Now today relatives everywhere and when you raise it – nepotism – they say ‘no it doesn’t matter if it’s the President’s relative. It depends on whether they are qualified. ‘”
“Oh, ‘whether they are qualified’. Who doesn’t have qualified relatives? I have PhD degree holders in my family…” he said.
But in a statement signed by the NPP’s outspoken communicator, he accused the former President, Mr. Mahama of financing his wife, Mrs. Lordina Mahama abroad to the tone of $82,000 anytime she was traveling when the NDC was in power from 2012 till 2017 January.
According to the statement, “In a letter dated 25/10/13, with reference number CA/OP/31/V314 signed by the then Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani authorized the former first lady to receive that huge amount as travelling allowance when she was travelling to the USA”.
The statement added “This means that, the government of Ghana under John Mahama always financed the trips of the former first lady, and also pays her $82, 000 whilst the Ghanaian youth were still begging and crying for jobs”.
The statement emphasized that the Akufo-Addo government is not looting the state as former President John Manana’s did.
“The Nana Addo family and friends government do not loot, create and share state funds like John Mahama did. They do not use intellectual means to rob the state like John Mahama’s ‘criminals’ did. Ghanaians must note that, just one robbery by the ‘notorious criminal’s Government would be able to cater for all the salaries and small allowances of the supposed Nana Addo family and friends Government”, the statement opined.
The statement also alleged that on 25/10/13, the same Chief of Staff, Mr. Bani authorized the payment of $101,317. 00 to the former President John Mahama as per diem on his visit to France.
The statement emphasized that whilst Ghanaians were suffering under John Mahama’s administration, the former president and his wife and also those friends around him were enjoying the state’s money.