The Presidential Transaction Act indicates that, the outgoing President must vacate his state residence by the time the incoming President is sworn in.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tBHYfawZwSqqwZcSISOeuWC6Oa84NF5I”]But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Atik Mohammed argued that, the circumstances surrounding President Mahama’s request for his official residence to be given to him as his retirement home, should be taken into account.

There are reports the President has already packed out of the house following the development. However. Citi News sources close to the President say the’s yet to move out.

“A maximum period of two months should be afforded the ex-president to make arrangements to vacate his current residence. The reason simply being that, where he is occupying at the moment is not that which the President is going to occupy. It is supposed to be a residence meant for the Vice President.”

“Given the circumstances with which he is leaving that particular residence, my assumption is that he did not make adequate preparations to exit almost immediately after the swearing in or before the swearing in was done… That is why I am saying that, as an ex-president, he deserves some courtesy to be extended to him.” Mr. Atik explained.

Apply common sense to law

His argument notwithstanding, Mr. Mohammed stressed that, he was not in support of President Mahama making a request to keep that residence, a request the former President has since withdrawn.

He however insisted that, “we should apply common sense in the application of the law” noting that not every provision in the Transition Act was fully executed.

“If it is not that injurious, why can we not as a State afford the exiting president these last 30 days. It should not be too much for us to do. The law is not cast in iron. It is not a law that if we massage it, it could be extremely dangerous to the work of the administration or could have some extremely negative effect on the stat of Ghana,” Mr. Atik Mohammed argued.

Request for residence worrying – CPP

Meanwhile, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has indicated that, it was unhappy with President Mahama for willfully making a request to personalize state property.

The Director of Communications for the CPP, Abdul Rauf Kadiri, described the former President’s move as worrying, saying it set a bad precedent.

He however agreed that a former President indeed deserves accommodation befitting his status.

“For him to show any request or even the idea of him wanting to privatize it or personalize it, we think that it was not necessary. An apartment has been put to a specific course and that purpose is to house vice presidents of the country. Now an exiting president wants to personalize that particular property and I think that was most worrisome.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Give Mahama 2-months to pack out of Cantonments home – Atik appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mahama, who also withdrew an earlier request to keep his current place of residence as his retirement home, said the decision was to avoid hurting the great relationship between himself and the current President, Nana Akufo-Addo.

In a letter addressed to the new President on Tuesday [January 10], John Mahama said he had never requested to purchase the property contrary to speculations in some sections of the media.

The Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh committee on Emoluments and Conditions of Service for Article 71 office holders in its report on the recommendation of benefits for Presidents leaving office, named among other things an office space to be equipped with modern gadgets to be given to the retiring presidents, but President John Mahama even before being presented with the property has rejected it.

“I do recognize that these are facilities that are conventionally extended to Presidents that leave office and I am also mindful of the approval by the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana on Wednesday, 4^th January, 2017 at its Twenty-Second Sitting of the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session.

“You will recall, Mr. President, that contrary to the erroneous impression created by some persons in Government and the interpretation given to the formal letter submitted on my behalf by Julius Debrah, this follow-up to an agreement we had on my choice of accommodation and office. I had never requested to purchase the property,” Mahama said.

‘Mahama withdraws request for state bungalow’

Mahama, through a letter signed by the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, dated 19th December 2016, informed the new government that Mahama wanted to keep the Presidential residence as his retirement home, and made a request for some adjoining properties to be given to him as his office.

President Mahama’s request to keep the bungalow, contrary to the approved recommendations set by the Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh committee on Emoluments and Conditions of Service for Article 71 office holders, has created a public uproar, with many Ghanaians accusing the President of blatantly trying to acquire more than what has been approved for him by the state.

‘Residence approved as my retirement package’  

The President in a subsequent statement, said his decision to maintain the state residence he occupied while in office, was approved by the new government led by Nana Akufo-Addo as well as Parliament.

‘We’ve not approved Mahama’s request’

But President Nana Akufo-Addo’s side of the transition team in a rebuttal, said the government is yet to approve former President Mahama’s request to keep his the property, contrary to Mr. Mahama’s statement.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The post Mahama withdraws request for office space appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The group has called on Mr. John Mahma to vacate the residence immediately for the Vice president Dr. Alhaji Mawumia or be forced out using due process.

At a press conference held in Bolgatanaga, Secretary of the group, Shaibu Muftao, said John Mahama’s request to maintain Bungalow No. 3, Prestige Link, Cantonments, Accra and its adjoining facilities, was in contravention of the Transition Act.

Mr. Muftao argued that, John Mahama and the NDC government should not cry foul because they also refused Former President John Kufour an official residence for the past 8 years.

“The request by John Mahama is unlawful because the law, precisely the Transition Act, which was passed by Parliament demands that an outgoing president must vacate his official residence before the swearing-in of a new president.

So, per the law, president Mahama ought to have vacated his residence latest by 6th January 2017 especially because the house in question is the official residence for the occupation of the vice president Dr.Alhaji Mawumia, and therefore, his continuous stay in that house is unlawful and unconstitutional.”

Mr. Muftao called on John Mahama to vacate the residence immediately for Vice president Dr. Bawumia to occupy, per the convention.

“If he(John Mahama) fails to leave, then we expect him to be forced out of that house through due process. we hope the ex-president would pay heed to our call to avoid any further embarrassment”

‘Congratulations to Akufo-Addo’

The Executive Committee of the Zongo Youth Base in Bolgatanga congratulated Nana Addo on his victory in the just ended Presidential election.

“We also felicitate with you on the occasion of your inauguration ceremony which took place at the independence square on the 7th January,2017. We indeed recall vividly when you paid a courtesy call on us at our base in Bolgatanag, where you inspired us, admonished and demonstrated your believe and trust in the Ghanaian youth not leaving out the Zongo.”

“We know , that given the level of expertise of vice president Dr.Bawumia, your government shall introduce and implement economic policies that would ensure total change in the living standards of the entire citizenry. We pray that, Allah will guide, protect and grant you good heath and the wisdom to govern this country to the path of progress and total development.”

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NPP Zongo Youth threaten to force Mahama out of residence appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.