Former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Tsatsu Tsikata has stated that he is duly entitled to an ex-gratia payment from the state agency.

According to him, claims that his demand for the money violates the legal remit within which liabilities should be paid to former employees are baseless and not premised on solid legal footing.

There is raging controversy over whether Mr. Tsikata and three other former employees of the GNPC are deserving of an ex-gratia payment from the company.

The GNPC in a statement confirmed that its board has approved the payment of the monies to the former employees. The admission followed an expose’ of the payment by former deputy energy minister K.T Hammond.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM Tuesday, the astute lawyer said even though he and other beneficiaries are yet to receive the payment, Ghanaians must understand that they worked for it.

“I am entitled to it, it should be recognized as such, it’s not a favour that anybody is doing me...there is nothing morally wrong about taking something that you are duly entitled to,” he stated.