General News of Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Government has not agreed to Mahama’s bungalow request - Oppong-Nkrumah

Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, spokesperson for Akufo-Addo a decision is yet to be reached play videoKojo Oppong Nkrumah, spokesperson for Akufo-Addo a decision is yet to be reached

Spokesperson for the President, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has refuted claims about an agreement between the current government and Fmr. President John Mahama to keep his residence as his retirement home.

According to him, a formal request from Mr. Mahama was presented to the Akufo-Addo administration, one which is yet to be perused by the President Akufo-Addo and a later decision taken based on that.

This follows claims by some members of the NDC including Minister Omane Boamah and Hannah Tetteh that an agreement had been reached by both parties to retain the residence of the outgone President.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah dismissed the claims, arguing that it is only a request which should not be equated to an agreement. He said that following the presentation of Mr. Mahama's request for ownership of the building that has served as the official residence of the country’s Vice Presidents since 2000, the transition team made a recommendation, one that has been relayed to the office of the President for consideration after which a final decision will be made.

"it cannot be said that an agreement has been reached, a request has been made, it is not equal to an agreement, a decision will be made and it will be communicated...there is no such agreement, it is a request", he said.

He added that the outcome of the issue will be communicated to the office of the Former President John Mahama immediately after a final decision is made by Pres. Akufo-Addo.

He urged that the members of the NDC desist from propagating stories and statements that depict an agreement between both parties, adding that it is important that they wait for the President Akufo-Addo to approve or otherwise after which the appropriate bodies will communicate the results.

"i'd like to ask that this whole rush to put out stories and statements that says that there's an agreement, should cease, Let's take our time, we won't lose anything if we spend 2-3 days and allow the President to take a decision and communicate that decision to all of us but no there is no such agreement", he stated.