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‘Cut your coat according to your size’ – Prof Appiagyei-Atua to MPs on payment of ex-gratia
Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua of the University of Ghana School of Law has stated that the payment of ex-gratia to Members of Parliament (MPs) is not justified.
As a result, he wants it to be scrapped.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, June 16, he said government must stop paying the ex-gratia.
He insisted that the political elite are taking advantage of the same “benefit to milk the state.”
As such, he urged MPs with a focus on the said benefit to live within their means.
“No, it cannot be justified, and I think that Parliament should sit up and say that if you are saying that you spend too much due to campaigning and so on, be circumspect in your campaigning because that is where corruption starts.”
“Cut your coat according to your size if you know you are not expecting ex-gratia, you’ll know how to organize your political campaign.”
Prof. Appiagyei-Atua also rejected the justification by the Speaker of Parliament for the payment.
“If you are talking about the fact that ex-gratia is made available to everyone whether you win elections or lose and don’t come back, you are entitled to that, then how can you call that a retiring benefit?
“They also need to look at the fact that it is a huge amount of money and the justification that the Speaker is putting to it, it is not just because if you are paying for people’s funerals and school fees and so on, why do you turn around to the government to pay that money back to you.
“It is a way you want to use to return to power, and it is purely at the discretion of that MP to use that money just to hold on to power. So I think it is not justified.
The Rt. Honourable Speaker at a public lecture at the University for Professional Studies, Accra, on Wednesday, June 15, justified the payment of ex-gratia to Members of Parliament.
He contended that the money is very important for the sustenance of the MPs after serving the country.
According to him, MPs do not benefit much from ex-gratia as the public perceives.
He explained that the money spent by Members of Parliament to campaign for their elections is three times more than the ex-gratia they receive.
“We are having these problems because there is some perception that ex-gratia is some huge money…You know that as MPs you don’t benefit from that ex-gratia, you don’t, because the money you spent to be elected to Parliament is thrice or four times what they give you as ex-gratia. No MP leaves Parliament better than the MP enters Parliament.
“Once an MP is elected, he must win the next election, and so they sacrifice everything to satisfy the voters in the constituency so that they could win again. So at the end of the day when they lose the election, they have lost everything, they have invested everything in the election, and they now have nothing,” he noted.
The subject of ex-gratia recently resurfaced following the former Council of State member, Togbe Afede’s decision to reject over 300 thousand Cedis paid to him after serving on the National Council of State between 2017 and 2020.
Subsequently, social media users showered accolades on the Paramount Chief for rejecting the amount paid him as ex-gratia.
The netizens praised him for protecting the public purse and thinking of the growth and development of the country. Even though, some people didn’t agree with him.
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Health Minister leads delegation Mimi Darko’s appointment as AMA Director General
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister for Health and Member of Parliament has led a delegation to secure the appointment of Dr Delese Mimi Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority, as the Director General of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) during the ongoing 2nd Ordinary Session of the Conference of State Parties in Kigali, Rwanda.
This prestigious appointment, achieved through a competitive process, marks a proud and historic moment for Ghana and the entire continent.
It highlights Dr. Darko’s exceptional leadership, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to enhancing public health and regulatory systems across Africa.
The Minister expressed his deep appreciation to President John Dramani Mahama for his strong support and leadership throughout this process.
Mr.Akandoh congratulated Dr. Mimi Darko and Team Ghana for their incredibly successful campaign.
The AMA was established by the African Union on November 5, 2021, with the primary objective of improving access to quality, safe, and effective medical products throughout the continent. Its creation aims to facilitate the regulation and oversight of essential medicines at a continental level while promoting collaboration among African countries and regions.
The Agency’s mission is to provide leadership in creating an enabling regulatory environment for the pharmaceutical sector in Africa, ensuring that the African population has access to essential medical products and technologies.
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Police arrest five suspects involved in robbery cases in Ashanti Region
The Police Intelligence Directorate (PID) in the Ashanti Region has informed the public about a recent breakthrough in the fight against armed robbery in the Denchemuoso District.
Following a series of robbery incidents in the area, on April 22, 2025, PID/Ashanti operatives, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended one Michael Owusu Ansah, alias Baby Last, aged 32.
The suspect had been on the police wanted list since 2016 in connection with a robbery and the murder of Police Officer G/Cpl Frank Essel of SWAT/Ashanti, which occurred at the Open Space Hotel in Denchemuoso on May 19, 2016.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to engaging in multiple street and residential robberies in Denchemuoso, Atwima-Techiman, Asuoyeboah, and surrounding areas.
He also disclosed that his gang operated with knives, pistols, and pump-action guns.
Further investigations led to the identification and arrest of his accomplices, namely:Emmanuel Owusu, alias Cassidy, Maxwell Gyimah, alias Nana Kwame, Sudais Oxford Ntiamoah, alias The Man Sudais and Rhano Okyere, alias Demon
These individuals were arrested from their hideouts within Atwima-Techiman and Denchemuoso.
However, one suspect, remains at large and efforts are underway to apprehend him and recover the weapons used in the robberies.
All five arrested suspects were arraigned before the Atasomanso Circuit Court on May 13, 2025.
They were remanded into police custody and are scheduled to reappear on June 4, 2025.
