• Lordina Mahama is under pressure to refund the allowance she enjoyed as First Lady
• Sammy Gyamfi says first ladies enjoy other benefits aside the allowance
Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress has moved to quell the confusion about the quantum of allowance enjoyed by former First Lady Lordina Mahama.
Sammy Gyamfi told Okay FM on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, that contrary to some figures in circulation, Lordina Mahama was paid GH¢8000 every three months.
He explained that the payment of the emolument was a convention that had been practised to provide support to spouses of former Presidents who are no more.
He noted that aside the quarterly allowance, the first ladies also enjoyed other benefits from the state including free security and healthcare.
“The agreement was that all former first ladies who were facing some challenges were going to receive some allowance every three months. The Rawlings government did for Fathia (Nkrumah), Busia’s wife and other former first ladies.
“They also did it for sitting spouses that every three months, they’ll be given some allowances. The money was not huge. In fact, former first lady Lordina Mahama took GH¢8,000 every three months. The allowance was not the only thing the country did for them, they were given offices for their charity works and other activities. Government paid for the operation of their offices and gave them cars,” he added.
Sammy Gyamfi’s revelation comes on the back of mounting pressure that Lordina Mahama refunds all monies paid her as First Lady.
Following the decision by current first Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo to refund and subsequently reject every form of allowance, John Boadu, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party tasked Lordina Mahama to also refund hers.
“Schandorf, let me say this emphatically. Former President Mahama’s wife, Lordina Mahama, must, as a matter of urgency, refund all monies paid to her since January 2017 till now. Those she received as far back as 2009 should also be refunded. The monies she has received from that time till now would amount to GH¢3.2 million,” he said on TV Africa on Tuesday, 13th July 2021.
First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo refunded her allowances following backlash from the public.
"The First Lady in consultation with the President of the Republic has decided to refund all monies paid to her as allowances from the date of the president's assumption to office i.e. January 2017, to date, amounting to GH¢899,097.84.
"The First Lady has also decided not to accept any monies that have been allocated to her pursuant to the Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee, as approved by Parliament.
"She is doing this as a purely personal decision, without prejudice to the rights of others, and not to undermine the propriety of the process undertaken by Parliament," the statement from Rebecca Akufo-Addo said in part.
Sammy Gyamfi, National Communication Officer, NDC