Accra, April 8, GNA - The Office of former President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday said the issue about retiring benefits to former Heads of State and other government officials must be tackled in a holistic manner based on accepted norms of state principles. A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Press Secretary at the office said it "has been informed about Government's intention to allocate vehicles to him as replacement to ones that were taken away earlier."

"The former President's Office is of the view that the issue about retiring benefits to former Heads of State and other government officials of this country must be tackled in a holistic manner based on accepted norms of state principles," it said. According to the statement "The Constitution provides that benefits of the Executive, including that of former Presidents, are approved by Parliament and those of Members of Parliament are approved by the Executive."

"This Office would wish that such procedures are respected and followed through to forestall any outcry about what benefits accrue to a retiring President and other officials of state."

"It is the considered opinion of this Office that once the appropriate processes are gone through and a determination made, an end will be put to the speculation and inflamed passions that has unfortunately engulfed our nation of late," it said. "It would also have set a precedent to be followed by future administrations and not be a matter to be dealt with in an ad hoc manner," It added.