Ghana’s former president, John Dramani Mahama has decided not to push further with his request to still stay in the residence he had occupied while serving as vice president and then president.
His earlier request sparked huge controversy with many Ghanaians criticizing him. But after series of public outcry over the matter the former president has decided to withdraw his request.
In a letter to the new president, Nana Akufo-Addo, Mr. Mahama wrote “It will appear that these requests threaten to mar the spirit of cooperation with which we as co-chairs of the Joint Transition Team have managed the smooth transfer of power..”
Former president @JDMahama of Ghana withdraws request to keep his official residence as retirement package. pic.twitter.com/tsCpNB4hM5
— Isaac Kaledzi (@IsaacKaledzi) January 11, 2017
The former president had made a request to the current government to still keep the house after exiting power as part of his retirement package. He also wanted to use another facility close to this official residence as his office as part of that retirement package.
That request according to Accra based Daily Guide newspaper has however been turned down by the government in a recommendation made to the president, Akufo-Addo by his transition team.
Yaw Osafo Mafo who led the transition team for the current president’s team is quoted by the Daily Guide as saying “We have not approved of his request, and I want to repeat we have received the request and the requests are two – for him to be given his ex-gratia where he lives and also be given another property as his office.
But critics of Mr. Mahama say his request was unlawful unpopular since his government had rejected similar requests by government officials wishing to purchase residences assigned them while serving.
The country’s parliament passed a law to prohibit the practice. There have been groups of Ghanaians threatening to evict the former president forcefully if he refuses to vacate the property.
John Mahama lost last year’s presidential elections to President Akufo-Addo and aided in a peaceful transition of power as act that has attracted a lot of commendation from Ghanaians and other world leaders.
Photo Credit: Getty
Source: Africafeeds.com
