A Professor at the University of Ghana, Ransford Gyampo has commended the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, who has refunded the ex-gratia paid him for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020.
Prof Gyampo says this sends a signal to all persons being paid what he describes as ‘illegal’ ex-gratia to do same.
Speaking on the mid day news on TV3 Tuesday June 7, he said “Overall, I think it is something that is commendable. The man is saying I was taking a monthly salary and so I don’t see why I should take this kind of money as ex-gratia. It should be a good message to all who are given illegal ex-gratia.”
Touching on the relevance of the Council of State, he said “First of all, the Council of state itself as a body is needless, we don’t need a Council of State now whose advise is not binding on the president. We don’t need now, a Council of State that the president directly or indirectly appoint its membership and and render that body toothless. The whole idea of Council of State was borrowed from our traditional idea of council of elders.
“In the traditional setting, no chief has a hand in appointing the council of elders. Council of elders were operating in the Chiefs palace as a right. Before the Chie was born members of the council of elders were there.”
Togbe Afede XIV had served on the Council in his capacity as the President of the National House of Chiefs.
He insisted that the payment was not to trap him, contrary to speculations after he made a refund to the Controller and Accountant General.
“I did not think the payment was made to trap me, as is being speculated,” he stated in a press release on Monday, June 6.
“I believe it was it was paid to everybody who served on the Council of State.
“However, I thought that extra payment was inappropriate for a short, effectively part-time work, for which I received a monthly salary and was entitled to other privileges. So, I was very uncomfortable with it.”
He stressed that he had written to the Council of State to state his reasons for rejecting the ex-gratia.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana