Calls for Lordina Mahama to reimburse the allowance are bogus – Clement Apaak

Member of the constituency of Builsa Sud, Clément Apaak defended the former First Lady, Lordina Mahama, following calls from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to reimburse her the legal allowances paid to her between January 2009 and June 2021 by the State.

Dr Clement Apaak explained that the monies paid to Ms Mahama are “a legitimate, recognized and legal allowance which she received during the period”.

Pressure is mounting on Ms. Mahama to reimburse the compensation paid to her after the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia decided to repay all the sums paid to her under indemnities from January 2017 to date.

This follows public outcry after it emerged that parliament approved a report from an emoluments committee that recommended that the president’s and vice’s wives be paid salaries.

Already, two lawsuits have been filed to stop the payments. To end the fray, the First and Second Ladies declined the offer.

Based on this background, some members of the ruling NPP launched a social media campaign titled “Take Back Our Money” against Ms. Mahama.

But Dr Apaak, on Asempa FM’s “Ekosii Sen” on Tuesday, called such a call “bogus.”

He said no one is contesting the allowances received by the first and second ladies, but rather the salaries recommended by the emoluments committee, which he believes is unconstitutional “so whoever makes that call is making a bogus call.”

The South Bulsa MP said that the compensation paid to Ms. Akufo-Addo and Ms. Bawumia is legal and never a source of controversy.

“If these two decided to pay him back [allowance] very good but that cannot be a basis to say that Mrs Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, Mrs Theresa Kufuor and Mrs Lordina Mahama should reimburse the legal allowances they received during the period ”, he added.

Dr Apaak urged the public not to mix apples with oranges and “cover their tracks for political expediency”.