Kufuor to receive lump sum of GH¢460,000…
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor would be receiving a lump sum of GH¢460,800 in addition to other pensions, as his end-of–service benefit.
The estimate is based on a Joy FM calculations of a monthly pay of GH¢3,200 approved by the Chinery-Hesse Committee report for serving Ghana for eight years.
The ex-gratia and pension benefits were submitted by the Chinery-Hesse Committee and approved by Ghana’s Parliament on January 6, 2009, a day before the new President, John Atta Mills was sworn into office.
According to a Joy News bulletin monitored by ghanabusinessnews.com, news about the benefits to be paid the former president and all other former presidents after him is causing anger and consternation among Ghanaians. It has subsequently generated heated debates in the country.
The report as approved by Ghana’s previous Parliament before it was dissolved, says a former president will receive a non-taxable ex-gratia award equivalent to 12 months consolidated salary for each year of service if the president served for four years.
But in the case where a president serves for eight years, an additional non-taxable resettlement grant of six months consolidated salary for each four years of service or pro-rata will be paid.
The ex-president would also be paid GH¢3,200 monthly just as the sitting president.
The ex-presidents, according to the arrangement will also be entitled to two fully furnished houses, one in Accra and one outside Accra in any part of the country of their choosing. They shall have guest facilities as well, and their entertainment shall be provided for by the state.
They would have security provided for by the state, special assistants, six vehicles including two four wheel drives and one all purpose vehicle to be fueled and maintained by the state, and then these would be replaced every four years.
When the former president dies, these shall not revert to the state, in other words they become the permanent property of the former president.
The ex-presidents and their spouses would be entitled to foreign travels once every year and are entitled to stay for 45 days and in the case of a president, who has served for eight years, 65 days. And they would travel on diplomatic passports accompanied by three special assistants and accorded all courtesies.
They would also have police escort to facilitate easy travel in traffic.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi