Accra, Jan.27, GNA - The Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group on Tuesday called on the Mills administration to review the retirement package for ex-Presidents within the broad context of retiring benefits for all public officials, including Parliamentarians. The group also announced that it was planning a public demonstration to show it revulsion at the recommendations and their approval by Parliament and the ex-President.

The demonstrations would be held on Tuesday February 3, 2009 in Accra, starting at 8.00 am.

The marchers will gather at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and later march through some of the principal streets and finally present a petition to the President at the Castle, Osu.

Mr. Kwasi Pratt, a member of the CJA speaking at a press conference in Accra said the CJA is alarmed by reports of the Chinery-Hesse Committee that ex-Presidents including Mr John Agyekum Kufuor should be provided with lavish facilities as retirement benefits.

He said some of the package such as two fully-furnished residents, one in Accra and another in any part of the country of his choice, six vehicles chauffeur-driven and a motorcade among others were enormously lavish.

He said the resources to be allocated to ex-presidents as recommended by the Chinery-Hesse Committee were simply too much. He said this created the impression that public service had become a self-serving exercise designed to feather the nests of the elite rather than meet the needs and aspirations of the people. "We are outraged by the demands for extremely lavish retiring awards for ex-Presidents and public officials. Such benefits are not showered on ex-Presidents even in the richest countries of the world" he added. He said "Ghana is a Highly Indebted Poor Country including our past Presidents and as such we should live within our means". The CJA also said public office holders must serve the interests and meet the aspirations of the people, including those of the poor rather than pursue their own.