Ex-gratia Refund: What Crime Has Togbe Committed? Let's Stop Engaging In "Childish Politics" - Obiri Boahen 'Fires' Critics
Deputy General Secretary for the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has condemned those speaking against Togbe Afede XIV who has returned his Ex-gratia paid him by the state.
According to him, over politicization of issues in the country is the reason the country is not developing.
The Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of Asogli has become the talk of the town after a statement he released indicated and explained that he had returned an amount of GHC365,392.67 as ex-gratia for his service as a Council of State member from 2017 to 2020.
Following this, praises and condemnations alike emerged both on traditional and social media alike.
Ghanaian broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere believes Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State has more money to refund to the state than the GHC365,000 ex-gratia he returned recently.
He asserts the revered chief attended only 16% of Council of State meetings in four years.
Paul Adom-Otchere, said out of 242 meetings held by the Council in 48 months, the former member attended only 39 representing 16%, but despite his failure to attend majority of the meetings, he “collected all his salaries and other benefits.”
But speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, Nana Obiri Boahen explained that people who are condemning Togbe Afede’s action have chosen to see the issue through political lenses rather than tackle it from a very fair and objective point of view.
"What is wrong about that, what exactly is wrong about that . . . what crime has Togbe Afede committed?" Nana Obiri Boahene rhetorically asked.
"Let's stop doing childish politics . . . what they are saying about Togbe Afede they are not being fair to him," he added.
He said Togbe Afede is resourceful and as such he can decide to forfeit whatever monies he is given.
"For me, I see nothing wrong with Togbe Afede’s decision to return state money, It is commendable and that Ghanaians should applaud him for the kind gesture.
"Togbe Afede has helped Agyekum Kufour, Atta Mills, Mahama and helped the nation in terms of electricity. Even if he says he is NDC, there is nothing wrong he is a human being, if Obiri Boahen says he is NPP, there’s nothing wrong. Let us give credit where it is due," he noted.
He urged Ghanaians to move beyond party politics and consider the general well-being and development of the nation when contributing to discussions or debate on critical national issues.
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