The Office of former President John Kufuor says media reports on his recent revelation that he has not received his end of term benefits since leaving office in 2009 have been taken out of context.

A rebuttal to the media reports signed by Dr Kwabena Osei-Adubofour, an aide to the former President, states that although ex-President Kufuor has not been paid his ex-gratia, the reports have sensationally mischaracterised what he said and the circumstances under which he made the comment.

“The interviewer, Daniel Dadzie, specifically asked whether Mr. Kufuor’s ex-gratia has been paid. He [Mr Kufuor] answered that upon assuming office in January 2009, the late President John Atta-Mills declared that the Chinnery-Hesse report was not approved so it could not be used to pay Mr. Kufuor’s ex-gratia. 

“However, at the subsequent vetting of the then-new ministers in parliament, Hon Alban Bagbin confirmed that the report had, indeed, been approved by parliament. Despite this fact, the two NDC administrations from 2009 to 2017 did not pay the ex-gratia due former President Kufuor,” the statement clarified.

Read the full response on the alleged misreporting below.

Re: President Kufuor has not been paid his Ex-Gratia

The Office of Former President John Kufuor has come across some publications in the Ghanaian media to the effect that the former president is complaining that successive governments have refused to pay him the ex-gratia due him when he concluded his tenure as president in January 2009.

This office wants to make it clear that though the truth is still that President Kufuor has not been paid his ex-gratia, the reporter sensationally mischaracterized what he said and the circumstances under which he said that. The interviewer, Daniel Dadzie, specifically asked whether Mr. Kufuor’s ex-gratia has been paid. He answered that upon assuming office in January 2009, the late President John Atta-Mills declared that the Chinnery-Hesse report was not approved so it could not be used to pay Mr. Kufuor’s ex-gratia.  However, at the subsequent vetting of the then-new ministers in parliament, Hon Alban Bagbin confirmed that the report had, indeed, been approved by parliament. Despite this fact, the two NDC administrations from 2009 to 2017 did not pay the ex-gratia due former President Kufuor.

Indeed, former President Kufuor specifically replied the Joy-FM`` interviewer that he had intentionally not brought the issue up with the present NPP government, though he intends to do so at an opportune time

It must be stated here that Joy-FM had sought the interview and must therefore eschew sensationalizing it.

Signed

 

Dr. Kwabena Osei-Adubofour

Senior Aide and Spokesman for President John Kufuor