Given the country's current economic circumstances, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state, Togbe Afede XIV, has declared that he will continue to reject any ex-gratia payments made to him for his time on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020.
The esteemed chief asserted that corruption has traditionally hampered the advancement of African nations, including Ghana, citinewsroom reports.
“Yes, I will do it again [reject ex-gratia], because our country is a very poor country so nobody who sacrificed or who has offered to voluntarily work for this country must be very considerate.”
“The constitution allows certain payments to Article 71 office holders but yet the constitution was not very definitive as to the quantum of those payments which means a committee must be created to determine the amount to be paid. And the committee when set up in the future must do a better job,” he was quoted by citinewsroom as having said.
At a seminar for youth empowerment and an anti-corruption day celebration held at Asogli Palace in Ho before the celebration of this year's Asogli Yam Festival, Togbe Afede XIV said that he would reject any ex-gratia payments made to him for his service in any government institution.
Background
Togbe Afede XIV returned more than GH300,000 that had been given to him as ex-gratia by the government for sitting on the Council of State from 2017 to 2020 in June of this year. An action that generated lots of talk within various factions in the country.
Togbe Afede XIV in a statement noted that he did not believe it was proper to receive an ex-gratia payment because he "was paid on a monthly basis for serving on the council of state." Adding that he is opposed to ex-gratia payments and has been seeking ways to get monies paid to him back to the government ever since he learned that it had been paid to him.
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