Former Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are demanding their end-of-service benefits from the government three years after leaving office.
After President Akufo-Addo's reshuffle in 2021, 134 MMDCEs lost their jobs.
According to their appointment letters, they were entitled to benefits such as a three-month consolidated salary and an installation grant. However, the government has yet to fulfil these obligations.
The lead convener of the aggrieved former MMDCEs and former MCE for Akatsi South, Leo-Nelson Adzidogah stated that the money owed each of them is more than GH₵100,000.
“We are going to take 3 years but that one is because we left office in 2021 October, so it will not fully be three months. Then the installation grant also, will not be fully paid. They are going to collate all these things and add the salary adjustment for the period. This one the calculation will be done by them. They know how to calculate it. So when we do something and send it to them, it may vary. So we haven’t done that.
But we know that based on the calculations they owe us. If I should give any rough estimate or idea of what we are going to take, I believe in addition to the arrears, we will take a little over 100,000. Then they will take taxes. That is why I am saying I cannot give accurate figures on hand. But if you put them together, it will be over 100,000.”
According to him, despite numerous petitions, the government has not resolved the issue.
He stated that the delay in payment could negatively impact the party's standing in their respective constituencies as former MMDCEs do not have the financial power to join the party’s campaign.
“I see that most of the former MMDCES who have been relieved of their posts are aggrieved and bitter. The only thing for us is to take our money so they bring us back to the mainstream. That is what I am crying for. But I know without this, most of us are not going to support the campaign. But what we want is that when we go to places we are not going to depend on them for fuel to move our cars. Give this to us so that we can also follow the campaign team wherever they go, so we can also contribute to the campaign effort. That is what we want.”
“Maybe any DCE who wants to go will say I am now going to disgrace myself because when I go there, I don’t have money for fuel, so I have to depend on this. That discretion will force most of them to sit back. That is why I am saying that let this be paid to us so that we can join this campaign. This is our argument,” he said.
Credit: Emmanuella Sarfo-Ntow