The Head Porters Association of Ghana (KAYAYO0) led by its President Hajia Adiza Zongo Panior, has ordered former first lady Lordina Mahama to return all state money she had received as salary.
It will be recalled that the Emoluments Committee approved the salaries of current first and second ladies, Mrs Rebecca Akufo Addo and Mrs Samira Bawumia respectively.
Mrs Rebecca Akufo Addo was expected to receive a monthly salary of GH¢ 21,000 which will be backdated to 2017.
The second lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia was also expected to receive a salary and will be backdated to 2017. However, the payment of salaries to the first and second ladies stirred public anger among some Ghanaians.
After a thorough consultation between the president and vice president, both first and second ladies decided to refund all salaries paid them from 2017 and had decided not to accept any allowance or salary from the state.
Mrs Rebecca Akufo Addo submitted a cheque of GH¢ 899,000 which she took as allowances since January 2017 through the Consolidated Bank of Ghana, CBG.
The second lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia in a letter signed by Kwame Twum Esq, her senior aide, dated 13th July 2021 reiterated the need to refund all state monies and allowances paid her since 2017.
Speaking on the issue on Accra-based radio station, Peace FM, with Odi Ahenekan Kwame Yeboah, the president of the Kayayo Association, Hajia Adiza Zongo Panior called on the former first lady, Lordina Mahama to refund all state monies and allowances paid her.
“Our issue is very short, we have given Lordina 24 hours to refund the money, that is what we want to tell her. Because Aunty Rebecca has done a lot for the country, she built a maternity ward in Kumasi and even at the Korle-bu hospital. She has done a lot.
“We haven’t seen any infrastructure or project Lordina Mahama has done. So that money can even help. I want to plead with the government. You are entitled to payment when in power” she
Spoke.
“Lordina’s husband (Mahama) has said it. So anytime there is an issue you raise your voice, we are giving her 24 hours period. That money can be used for school feeding”‘ she stressed.