The Fourth Estate has filed a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Council of State demanding 17 answers to issues relating to the council that advised President Akufo-Addo in his first term.
The request borders on issues surrounding the revelation by a member of that eminent body, Togbe Afede XIV, that he returned his ex-gratia, that was paid to him.
According to the Paramount Chief to the Asogli State in the Volta Region, who served alongside 23 other members of the Council of State from 2017 to 2020, the payment of GHc365,000 to him as ex-gratia was “unconscionable” and “inappropriate”.
“I believe it was paid to everybody who served on the Council of State. However, I thought that extra payment was inappropriate for a short, effectively part-time work, for which I received a monthly salary and was entitled to other privileges. So, I was very uncomfortable with it,” he said in a press statement.
He continued, “I want to add that my rejection of the payment was consistent with my general abhorrence of the payment of huge Ex Gratia and other outrageous benefits to people who have by their own volition offered to serve our poor country.”
The issues that came in the wake of the declaration has prompted The Fourth Estate to file an RTI request to the advisory body.
The following are the specific pieces of information The Fourth Estate requested in a letter that was delivered to the Council of State today, June 10, 2021:
PLENARY MEETINGS
- The number of plenary meetings attended by members of the Council of State member from 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and January 1-6, 2021.
- The number of times each of the members of the Council of State attended the plenary meetings in the years above.
- Copies of the signed attendance sheets of all the plenary meetings from January 2017 to January 6, 2021.
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
4. The list of members of each of the Council of State standing committees from January 2017 to January 6, 2021.
5. The number of meetings each of the committees was expected to attend per year in the period mentioned above.
- The number of meetings attended by each of the committees of the Council of State from January 2017 to January 6, 2021.
- The number of times each member of the Council of State attended the standing committee meetings.
ADHOC COMMITTEE
- The list of adhoc committees of the Council of State from January 2017 to January 6, 2021and the number of times each of the adhoc committees met within the period.
- The list of members of these adhoc committees of the Council of State within the stated period above.
- The number of times each of the members attended the adhoc committee meetings within the period in question.
- Copies of signed attendance sheets of each of the adhoc committee meetings.
SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES
12. The monthly salaries received by the Chairman of the Council of State and members of the Council of State from January 2017 to December 2020
13. The sitting allowances (if any) of members of the Council of State at the Committee and Plenary sittings within the period under consideration
14. The list of Council of State members who registered as attending meetings out of Accra between 2017 and 2020
15 Transportation allowances paid to each member coming outside Accra per meeting within the period under consideration
16 Transportation allowance (if any) paid to each member of the Council of State attending meetings from Accra.
ADVICE TO THE PRESIDENT
17. The number of subjects or issues on which the Council of State advised the President and or any other state institution or office from January 2017 to January 6, 2021.
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Very good Question. We need to know whether or not they deserve what the recieve as allawance
Are you sure of acquiring the legitimate request you’re seeking for? How sure are we that you’ll publish the appropriate information, knowing the kinda of stories you’ve made in past especially with issues concerning the former President Mahama and after getting the information and publishing same, wouldn’t the powers that may be, chase you out of this country as it happened before?
You just wrote rubbish. What stories has he posted?
No one chased him. It was a lie to save face. Who will chase you only for you to return in 2 weeks and be going about your normal duties.
A very good request. At least we’ll know the real issues and truth only if the council provides accurate information.
They have no choice than to do the needful if they decided to provide the required information for the request by the fourth estate is deviode of any ambiguity or whatsoever.
This will call for another touch screen analysis. This time the eminent chief won’t be torn apart alone, hahahaha.
A true test for our democracy and de RTI. I beliv in de fourth estate
? ? Manasseh will cause trouble ?
A good move. It would be good if such requests are made to all Article 71 beneficiaries, parliament, council of state, ministers and the other institution beneficiaries. I suggest it to cover the whole period of the fourth republic. Thus from the 7th of January,2001 to date.
Great job….my brother is always on point. Allah give you long life and protect you against all evil eyes. Ameen
I just hope you get the documents within one day. After all, there is evidence it’s doable.
Leaders of this country never mean well for this country. The Military must demand for ex-gratia too.
Great. Hope they will equally respond with same supersonic speed they responded to apostle Paul Adom-otchere letter. We know you will definitely do a great job as usual.
Thank you for the great work you are doing for mother Ghana. Hope the reply will come as soon as possible. I wish this can be extended to parliament as well.
Very very good questions – it will aid a better and more intelligible analysis of the facts. Not that “stomach journalist” and mischievous presentation made by Paul ADOM-Otchere. How can you add up all separate meetings held by separate committees and say Togbe attended only 16% of all meetings, as if he was a member of all the committees and was to attend meetings of all those committees. That is a deliberately wicked presentation just to achieve a certain unholy objective. Apologies to Robert Nii Addey Clegg.
Nii, it seems you didn’t do ratio and proportion.
From what I know, you can say someone’s attendance is x% of the total attendance and that is perfectly logical and correct.
You may like to add one more question: How many members of the council state benefited from the $2 million-dollar borrowed from a foreign bank to purchase cars for them. Ok, may be two questions. Who is going to pay back that loan, the government or the members of the council of state?
The Fourth Estate is doing great…these questions beg for answers…let’s see what becomes of it
I remember Paul Adom Okyere saying anybody can request for this information via the RTI act. I wonder what is delaying such a simple request. We need to know especially after they’ve bastardize the eminent Togbe