Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a stalwart of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has asked Ghanaians to stop mounting pressure on the former First Lady, Lordina Mahama, to refund all monies paid to her in allowances by the state.
The call is coming barely a day after the first and second ladies announced their decision to refund all monies paid to them since 2017.
The move by the first and second ladies also follows public outcry on the recommendations made by the presidential committee on emoluments for Article 71 office-holders.
A cross section of the public have since started a campaign to get the former first lady to also refund her allowances paid to her while her husband was in power.
However, Otchere-Darko said that such calls are needless.
“My second and final take on this spousal alawa issue: Leave Lordina Mahama alone! She doesn’t have to refund a pesewa of her alawa.
“After all, is it her fault her husband now says he always believed in the 2011 Constitution Review Commission Report’s recommendation to set up an Independent Emoluments Committee but he never ever saw the need to even attempt to implement it for the 4 years plus change that he was Head of State? Let her be,” he posted on Facebook.
Refunding allowances
Meanwhile, Rebecca Akufo-Addo has refunded all allowances paid to her since 2017, adding she would not accept any monthly remuneration.
In a statement issued on Monday 12 July 2021, the Office of the First Lady said: “… the public discussion has been laced with some extremely negative opinions, in some cases, which she finds distasteful, seeking to portray her as a venal, self-serving and self-centered woman, who does not care about the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.
“In view of this, the First Lady, in consultation with the President of the Republic, has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the President’s assumption of office, ie, from January 2017 to date, amounting to GHC899,097.84.
“The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to be paid to her pursuant to the recommendations of the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as approved by Parliament,” the statement signed by Korkor Bleboo, director of communications in the Office of the Second Lady, said.
Meanwhile, Bawumia is set to refund a total amount of eight hundred and eighty-seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-two (GHC 887,482) she has thus far received as allowances from January 2017 to March 2021.
Fred Dzakpata
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