PRESIDENT MILLS CAN'T REVIEW EX GRATIA AWARD — MP FOR FOMENA (PAGE 13)

THE Member of Parliament (MP) for Fomena, Nana Abu Bonsra, has said President Atta Mills has no mandate under the Constitution to review the ex gratia award to ex-Presidents and Members of Parliament (MPs) as being demanded by some people.
“No amount of street protests can have any impact on the end-of-service benefits because it has been mandated by the Constitution and President John Evans Atta Mills does not have the mandate to review it downward as is being demanded by the few individuals who think their action can cause pubic uproar,” he said.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the MP described the demonstration by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) against the end-of-service benefits as “populist and a danger to the democratic dispensation of the country”.
He pointed out that the action of the CJA “would never stop the implementation of the end-of -service benefits because it was a contract guaranteed by Article 71 of the national constitution”.
“A few people in the country are trying to promote a populist regime by playing to the gallery of streetism, which is very dangerous to our democratic dispensation”, he noted, adding: “If you think democracy is expensive, then try dictatorship.”
Nana Abu Bonsra explained that the end-of-service benefits were not only approved by the ex-President, but also approved by the last Parliament as a constitutional mandate, and therefore wondered why a few individuals should cry foul against it.
“It was not a benefit that was enjoyed by the beneficiaries at the beginning of their service to the nation, but at the end of their active service to the nation, so it is very unfortunate that some people are being made scapegoats for something that had been mandated by the supreme law of the state”, he added.
Explaining further, Nana Abu Bonsra said President Mills had the capacity to establish a new committee for the end-of-service benefits for the present MPs and himself, “but, clearly, Article 71 of the Constitution says that the new President cannot, and does not, have the mandate to review the present end-of-service benefits downwards because it would be a recipe for promoting populist view and streetism.”
He also pointed out that it was time the citizenry adhered to the Constitution on issues that affect the development of the nation, instead of being emotional and pouring out insults on people who had committed themselves to serve the nation with dedication.
“Having agreed in 1992 to be ruled by the rule of law, it is important to be guided by the national Constitution and commit ourselves to its dictates because anything short of that would undermine constitutional demands,” he declared.
As to whether the national economy could support the current end-of-service benefits as mandated by the Constitution, Nana Abu Bonsra said the Foundation to be established for the ex-President would be of benefit to the present and future generations compared to what the ex-President stands to benefit for serving the state for eight solid years.
“The Constitution did not spell out that the houses should be built within two or three months’ time, so it could be spread, depending on the state on the national economy,” he explained.
He said the UNDP would also support the Foundation to be established by the ex-President with GH¢10 million.
“His local and international experience would make it possible for the nation to benefit tremendously from the Foundation so we should support its establishment instead of the hullabaloo going on,π” he stressed.