Former MMDCEs Set To Picket At Jubilee House
…Insist Their Action Is Not Meant To Embarrass Government
About 134 immediate past metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) who served under President Akufo-Addo’s first term are set to converge on Accra to picket at the Jubilee House, the seat of government.
In a letter, dated 18th May, 2023, addressed to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command seeking protection, the former MMDCEs explained, “Our decision to picket is informed by the government’s refusal to pay our salary differentials and other essential benefits due us over the years we served as the appointees of the government,” adding “Other appointees were paid since 2021.”
The aggrieved former appointees stressed that their action is not to ridicule the government, but to draw its attention to the issue, which should have been resolved long ago, by paying what is due them.
According to The Anchor’s information, the picketing was scheduled for the 30th of this month, but following a meeting with the police last Friday, May 19, the leaders of the group were asked to go and return today, May 23, for a new date to be fixed.
“With the greatest respect, we the immediate past MMDCEs wish to inform you of our painstaking decision to picket at the Jubilee House. We wish to implement this decision by the end of May, 2023.
Our decision is not to ridicule our government, but rather to draw the attention of the government to this long-standing issue which should have been resolved with the payment of our end of service benefits,” former MMDCEs stated.
According to them, “It is for this reason that we humbly ask for your kind permit to take our concerns to the government at the Jubilee House.
We hope you will give a favourable consideration to our request to bolster our credentials as a democratic country where the citizens freely express their views through legal and constitutional means. Our best regards.”
Emotional letter
Earlier, the former MMDCEs, who are all members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), had penned an emotional letter to the President of the Republic, through the Chief of Staff, about their predicament.
According to them, even though they are part of Article 71 office holders, their counterparts have been paid, but they have been excluded without any reasons.
They said all efforts to get a hearing from the appointing authorities for their plights have yielded no result, as “there is no communication to that effect to assure us about the payment.”
The letter, which was also intercepted by The Anchor, said, “Your Excellency, as MMDCESs who served you faithfully and worked tirelessly to ensure your re-election to continue to govern the country with your pragmatic vision, programmes, plans and policies to deliver prosperity and progress for Ghana, we have not yet been paid our ex-gratia. Very unfortunately there is no communication to that effect to assure us about the payment.”
According to them, a number of them contested the 2020 elections as Parliamentary Candidates and lost, but, unfortunately, they were not re-nominated to serve in the second term.
As a result, they said “Your Excellency, considering our support for the 2020 campaign as well as those of us who contested and raised fund for our campaign, we humbly call for your highest intervention to enable us to receive our end of service benefits, ex-gratia.”
Below Is Published, The Letter:
The President,
The Republic of Ghana,
Jubilee House,
Accra.
“Thro”
The Chief of Staff,
The Office of the President,
Jubilee House,
Accra.
Cc: 1.His Excellency,
The Vice-President,
The Republic of Ghana,
Jubilee House,
Accra.
- The Executive Secretary,
The Office of the President,
Jubilee House,
Accra.
Dear Your Excellency,
MMDCEs EXPRESSION OF CONCERN ABOUT THE PAYMENT OF EX- GRATIA
Mr. President, with the greatest respect, we the immediate past MMDCEs, who served your government in your first term, wish to express our concern about the payment of our end of service benefits; ex-gratia.
Your Excellency, as MMDCESs who served you faithfully and worked tirelessly to ensure your re-election to continue to govern the country with your pragmatic vision, programmes, plans and policies to deliver prosperity and progress for Ghana, have not yet been paid our ex-gratia. Very unfortunately there is no communication to that effect to assure us about the payment.
Mr. President, we are aware that we are also part of Article 71 Office holders who have long since been paid the end of service benefit, ex-gratia excluding the MMDCEs.
Your Excellency, we are worried about the situation and respectfully wish to draw your highest attention.
Mr. President, it worthy to note that some of us contested the 2020 General Elections as Parliamentary Candidates but unfortunately we lost. We were also not re-nominated to serve the second term with you.
Your Excellency, considering our support for the 2020 campaign as well as those of us who contested and raised fund for our campaign, we humbly call for your highest intervention to enable us receive our end of service benefits, ex-gratia.
Mr. President, some of us still harbour the ambition to contest the 2024 General Elections as Parliamentary Candidates to render our full support to the national campaign efforts.
Your Excellency, we once again, respectfully, crave for your highest consideration of this concern to enable us survive, care for our families and also participate vigorously in the 2024 elections to break the 8-year cycle.
Mr. President, we humbly submit our concerns for your highest attention and consideration.
We humbly anticipate your fatherly support for our plea.
Thanks
Your MMDCEs.
Source: Anchorghana.com
