A group of 134 former Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) appointed under the administration of former President Akufo-Addo are chasing the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, over their unpaid terminal benefits.
According to the former MMDCEs, they have yet to receive the benefits owed them since leaving office in October 2021 after they were not renominated for a second term.
In a petition to Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the group explained that their tenure was extended pending the nomination and approval of new MMDCEs.
They said they were subsequently directed to remain in office at the start of the Akufo-Addo administration’s second term.
A news article shared by GNA read, “The group said 134 MMDCEs were subsequently not renominated and left office in October 2021 without receiving their terminal benefits.
The petition, signed by Leo-Nelson Adzidogah, former MCE for Akatsi South, said the former MMDCEs initially expected their benefits to be paid alongside those of their successors at the end of the second term.
“However, to our utter surprise, our successors received their terminal benefits, but we were left out,” the petition stated.
The former MMDCEs said their exclusion was unfair because colleagues who were renominated for a second term had received benefits covering the period from January 2021 to October 2021, during which both groups served.
They argued that leaving office before the end of the second term should not be used as a basis to deny them benefits for the period they served.
The group described the matter as an oversight and appealed to the Finance Minister to consider their request and authorise payment of the outstanding benefits.
They expressed hope that the Ministry would respond favourably and take steps to resolve the matter”.
In related news, earlier this year Former Dean of MMDCEs, Richmond Amponsah Agyabeng, has accused Finance Minister Ato Forson of refusing to pay salary arrears owed to former MMDCEs.
According to the former MMDCE, Ato Forson has placed rat poison on their mouths, and their feet are burning due to the hardship they are facing, but they cannot speak due to the rat poison.
Richmond Amponsah Agyabeng stressed that the situation has caused severe hardship for former MMDCEs.
The former MMDCEs further revealed that one of their colleague died in the Volta Region, with another wife of a former DCE in the Northern Region also suffering from severe illness.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, Richmond Amponsah Agyabeng stated, “Ato Forson has placed rat poison on our lips for us to be quiet, and fire is also burning out our feet, which is what is happening to MMDCEs.
If we had been paid, we would have come to your station to come and thank him. We have been quiet; he is the one with power. This is our own money to be given to us; they are refusing. These are arrears which were to be given to us some time ago. We just went to bury one of our colleagues in Volta”.
He added, “Last weekend, one of our colleagues’ wives was severely ill. What crimes have we committed? Ato Forson has refused to pay us; are we not part of Ghanaians?”
Also, the former Dean of MMDCEs warned that they may be forced to picket the Finance Ministry with their families if they are not paid.
He added, “If we take our families to picket at the Finance Ministry, I hope they won’t come after us for disturbing the public because they failed to hear our plea. We leave our matter to God”.
“If they refuse to pay us, that day will surely come. We’ve complained for a long time, and even taking the matter to court isn’t feasible because we lack the funds. At this point, picketing is our only option.”
The former Dean of MMDCEs added, “If we take everything to the Finance Ministry, they will know we are serious. They must be careful not to let security intimidate us when we decide to act”.
“A lot of our colleagues have gone to eternity because they could not afford their medical bills. Some are also battling ill health and need money to pay bills,” he said.
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