十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德阁下（Togbe Afede XIV）

上周，前国务委员会成员、阿克拉橡树之星足球俱乐部董事会主席：十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德阁下（Togbe Afede XIV）在为什么退还 “令人发指的” 数额的声明中表示，他不会接受政府补发给他 2017 年至 2020 年期间，在担任加纳酋长院主席时超过 365,000 加纳塞地的特殊津贴。

这位阿索格里最高领袖国王在周四接受本刊独家采访时强调，对这笔作为特殊津贴存入他个人账户的巨额款感到惊讶。

托比阁下为他做出退还特殊津贴决定引起的热议进行了辩护，他重申，作为国务委员会成员的四年兼职工作不值得这么多钱作为额外津贴或者奖励。

“我的喜悦变成了悲伤，因为我知道不需要这么多钱。我对这笔在我账户中的巨额资金感到非常惊讶，老实说，我认为工作的这年是兼职工作，在我享受了月薪之后，它不值得这么多的额外奖励。当然，无论我是否享受，还有其他特权不在这里也不在那里…… 但我认为我的薪水绰绰有余。” 托比阁下告诉本刊记者。

他说，尽管有充分理由向第 71 条公职人员支付特殊津贴，但应考虑到加纳当前的经济困难，对支付的金额进行分析。

这位阿索格里最高领袖国王认为，国务委员会成员的工作性质，在离任后不值得补偿。

“我当年的薪水已经绰绰有余，所以我决定拒领津贴，这笔钱必须回归政府...... 或有必要提供一些服务结束后的福利，具体金额需要根据我们国家的情况和加纳普通民众的困境进行分析。有些人不应该被塑造成不同阶层的人。”

托比阁下解释说：“国务委员会不应让你远离你已经在做的事情，不需要在服务结束时获得补偿。” 

随后，加纳社交媒体用户纷纷称赞这位最高领袖拒绝支付给他的上述特殊津贴。

一条推特写道：“正直、热爱上帝和国家的人正在占据他们应有的位置。”

网友们称赞托比阁下保护公共财政，关心国家的成长和发展，将他归类为 “正直的人”，并敦促其他公职人员跟随最高酋长的脚步。

Togbe Afede XIV在一份解释他为什么退还“令人发指的”数额的声明中说，在他已经拿了在安理会任职的月薪的情况下，收到这笔数额是不合适的。

与公众对该事件的看法相反，王牌广播公司的电视主持人保罗·阿多姆-奥切尔（ Paul Adom-Otchere）谴责前国务委员会成员拒绝特殊津贴。

这位阿索格里最高领袖国王表示，尽管他对电视主持人保罗的批评持开放态度，但后者对他的评论不应不诚实：“你的违心伤害了我！” 托比阁下郑告保罗。

我们的传统领袖对王牌广播公司，在就其担任国务委员会成员期间出席会议的评论感到惊讶。

上周四，托比阁下在接受本刊独家采访时强调，与保罗之前的说法相反，他尽职尽责地履行了作为国务委员会成员应尽的职责。

就此阁下透露，虽然他是议会的主要成员，但为补发给他特殊津贴金是不必要的，因此拒绝了这笔钱，在这种情况下，保罗先生不应该对他污蔑。

“我的惊讶确实来自虚假陈述。你可以批评我，你也可以批评我的观点，但不可以说谎。不要说托比阁下从霍城到酋长院公费交通往来，领取交通津贴，这是不实的。保罗也应该知道，以我的性格，我永远做不到那样的事情。

我是阿克拉居民，我不是那些在工作之时假装不住在阿克拉，并享受政府住宿设施而享受交通津贴的，所有人知道我不是那种人。他的言辞伤害了我。还有关于我大部分时间缺席国务委员会会议的造谣言论也伤害了我，这都不是事实，保罗知道那不是真的！” 托比阁下感叹道。

托比阁下补充说，“那种邪恶言论伤害了我。你可以批评我，你可以说你不明白我为什么要退钱，但不要用谎言来吸睛。那部分不实之词，我强烈反对！”

上周二 “晚安加纳” 的社论中，保罗声称，在担任国务委员会成员期间，理事会的 242 次会议中，托比阁下只出席了其中的 48 次会议；占 16%。

该广播公司在就托比阁下为何退还付给他的特殊津贴发表意见时披露了这一消息。在他们看来，尽管这一举动在社交媒体上被誉为爱国姿态，但他不理解人们对这位传统领导人大加赞扬的原因。

根据保罗的说法，1992 年宪法规定了向第 71 条公职人员支付特殊津贴，因此，托比阁下以一种看似廉洁的方式归还他的人是很淘气的。

结果，他批评托比阁下，并敦促公众停止赞扬，因为退还特殊津贴并没有使他处于任何 “道德制高点”。

但在上周四本刊独家报道中，托比阁下表示他对保罗的评论感到失望。在表达观点时表示，根据他与这位记者的历史，没有预料到他会发表这样的评论。在驳斥保罗的说法时，他强调说，在他任职期间，他是国务委员会的 “积极参与者之一”。

托比阁下还透露，尽管他对保罗的言论感到震惊，但他并不感到惊讶，因为保罗过去也做过类似的事情，“他非常了解我。所以令人惊讶的是，他是所有批评我的人中的一员，我不想展开说明。但是我为什么不惊讶呢？因为他之前也做过类似的事情。当我与阿贾帕争论时，他接受了财政部长的采访，甚至在那次采访中也试图诋毁我。

通过暗示我是 Ken-Ofori Atta 的雇员。当我引起他的注意时，他道歉说不，不，他知道我是数据库的创始人。我说，那你为什么把我当成 Ken Ofori-Atta的雇员来表现？同样，当我们就必须中止的公投进行辩论时，他再次试图诋毁我。” 托比阁下解释道。

与此同时，阿索格利州议会也驳回了保罗·阿多姆-奥切尔的言论。

在周三回应保罗评论的一封信中，阿索格利州议会强调，保罗对这位传统领导人在理事会任职期间出席会议问题上多次撒谎。

这封信还揭穿了有关托比阁下据称在理事会任职期间收到的一些款项的说法。

这封申明信的标题是：“保罗在撒谎！”，内容如下：

“我们注意到，2022 年 6 月 7 日，保罗·阿多姆·奥切尔（PaulAdom Otchere）在Metro TV 的《加纳晚安》节目中，在讨论十四世 · 托比 · 阿菲德阁下（Togbe Afede XIV）拒绝这笔数目不菲的特殊津贴时发表了不当评论。

我们通常不会回应保罗的评论，知道他是谁。但在我们思考更合适的反应时，他提出的具体不当言论不容忽视：

1. 保罗提供的关于托比阁下出席国务委员会会议的数字，既不正确又具有误导性，是企图抹黑托比阁下在国务委员会的表现。我们要求保罗提供安理会的出席登记册，他从中编制了他的数字，必须让所有人都知道真相。”

阿索格利州议会解释道：“理事会有三个委员会，其中一个托比阁下担任主席，即经济和特别发展倡议委员会。托比阁下的全体会议出席记录非常出色”。

申明信中进一步指出：

2. 托比阁下没有向政府贷款。SG 银行向理事会成员提供商业贷款，‍阁下已全额偿还。

3. 托比阁下自誉为阿克拉居民，没有向委员会申请任何交通津贴。

4. 托比阁下从没说过特殊津贴是非法的，阁下认为：老年人的兼职工作不应当获得我们依然贫穷落后国度的特殊补偿。

5. 最后，托比阁下拒绝特殊津贴不是党派政治问题。”

正是在这一时间的背后，加纳社交媒体早早地嗡嗡作响，纷纷赞扬这位举国闻名的传统领导人。

There Was No Way I Could Spend Over ₵300,000 Ex-Gratia – Togbe Afede XIV

Former Council of State member and Board Chair of Accra Hearts of Oak, Togbe Afede XIV has asserted that he could never have been able to expend the over GH¢365,000 ex-gratia paid to him for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020.

The Paramount Chief and Agbogbomefia of Asogli in an exclusive interview withJoy News on emphasized that he was surprised by the huge amount paid into his account as ex-gratia. Defending his decision to return the ex-gratia paid him, Togbe Afede XIV reiterated that his four-year part-time job as a Member of the Council of State does not merit such quantum of money as an extra reward.

“My joy turned sadness because I knew there was no way I would spend that kind of money. I was very surprised about the sheer quantum of money that I was going to be paid and I thought that for four years work, that in all honesty, it was part-time work, I did not think that it merited such amount of extra reward, after I have enjoyed monthly salaries. Of course, there are other privileges, whether I enjoyed them or not is neither here nor there…but I thought the salaries were more than enough,” he told Maxwell Agbagba.

He said despite the good reason to pay ex-gratia award to Article 71 office holder, the amount to be disbursed should be subjected to analysis with consideration to the current economic hardships in the country.

The Agbogbomefia of Asogli believes that the nature of a job of a Council of State Member is unmeritorious of compensation after leaving office. “I thought the salaries were more than enough, so I decided there and then that there is no way I could spend that money and that money must go back to government…there may be a need to give some end of service benefit, how much to be given is subject to a bit of analysis, that would respect also the situation in our country and the plight of the average Ghanaian. Some people must not be made to look like a different class of people. “Council of state work should not take you away from what you have already been doing and therefore is not a case that you need to be compensated at the end of service or when you are being thrown out of job,” he explained.

It will be recalled that on Monday, the Paramount Chief and Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, indicated that he had rejected over ¢365,000 ex-gratia paid to him for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020. In a statement explaining why he refunded the “outrageous” amount, Togbe Afede XIV said it is not appropriate to receive the said amount when he already took monthly salaries for serving on the Council.

Subsequently, social media users showered accolades on the Paramount Chief for rejecting the said amount paid him as ex-gratia. “Men with integrity and love for God and country are taking their rightful place.” one tweet said. The netizens praised him for protecting the public purse and thinking of the growth and development of the country, classifying him as a “man of integrity.” The tweethearts urged other public office holders to follow in the steps of the Paramount Chief.

Contrary to the public opinion about the act, a TV host, Paul Adom-Otchere condemns the former Council of State member for rejecting the ex-gratia. Togbe Afede XIV says even though he is open to criticisms from TV host, Paul Adom-Otchere, the latter should not be dishonest in his comments about him. The dishonesty hurts me – Togbe Afede tells Paul Adom-Otchere

According to the traditional ruler, he is surprised about the ace broadcaster’s comments on his attendance of meetings during the period of his membership of the Council of State.

Speaking in an exclusive interview withJoyNews, Maxwell Agbagba on Thursday, Togbe Afede stressed that contrary to Paul’s earlier claims, he performed his roles dutifully as a member of the Council of State.

In that regard, he revealed that even though he was an active member of the Council, he saw the ex-gratia which was paid to him as unnecessary, thus his rejection of the money; adding that under the circumstances, Mr Adom-Otchere should not tell lies about him. “My surprise indeed came from the misrepresentation. You can criticize me; you can criticize my opinions but don’t tell lies. Don’t say for instance that Togbe presented himself as coming from Ho to the Council of State and enjoyed transport allowances; when he knew it is not true. He knew that by my character, I could never do something like that. I am a resident of Accra. I’m not one of those who will pretend not to live in Accra and enjoy government hostel facilities when they’re working or enjoy transportation allowances. I am not that type. He knows. So that part hurts me. And also, the suggestion that I was most of the time absent from Council of State meetings, that also hurts me because it is not true and he knows that is not true”, he lamented.

Togbe Afede added that, “So that level of dishonesty hurts me. That level of wickedness; that I took an exception to. You can criticize me, you can say you didn’t see why I should return the money, but don’t back your arguments with falsehood. That part, I take a strong exception to”.

During an editorial on Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, Mr. Adom-Otchere alleged that Togbe Afede attended only 16% of meetings during his tenure as a member of the Council of State.

Paul Adom-Otchere, said out of the total of 242 meetings of the Council during the period, the Paramount Chief honored only 48 of those meetings; representing 16%.

The broadcaster made this disclosure while expressing his views on why Togbe Afede returned the ex-gratia which was paid to him.In his opinion, even though the move has been hailed on social media as a patriotic gesture, he does not understand the reason of the praises which were showered on the traditional leader.

According to Mr. Adom-Otchere, the payment of ex-gratia to Article 71 office holders is captured in the 1992 Constitution, and therefore it was mischievous for Togbe Afede to have returned his, in a manner that seemingly portrayed him as incorruptible. As result, he criticized Togbe Afede and urged the public to desist from praising him since the refund of his ex-gratia does not put him on any ‘moral high ground’.

But reacting to this in aJoyNews exclusive on Thursday, Togbe Afede said he is disappointed in the comments of Paul Adom-Otchere. In expressing his sentiments, he stated that based on his history with the journalist, he did not anticipate such comments from him. While dismissing Paul’s claims, he emphasized that, he was ‘one of the active participants’ in the Council of State, during his period of service.

He also revealed that even though he was alarmed by Paul’s remarks, he is not surprised because Paul did a similar thing in the past. “He knows me very well. So, it’s surprising that he of all people, and I don’t want to go into details; will be the one to criticize me. But why am I not surprised? Because he had done something similar before. When I was fighting Agyapa, he granted an interview to the Minister of Finance and sought to denigrate me even in that interview”.

He suggested that I was an employee of Ken-Ofori Atta. When I drew his attention, he apologized that no, no, he knew I was a founder of Data Bank. I said, so why then do you present it as if I was an employee of Ken Ofori-Atta? Again, when we were having a debate about the referendum, that had to be aborted, he again tried to criticize me” Togbe Afede explained.

The Paramount Chief of the Asogli Traditional Area, Togbe Afede further intimated that, “when I say he of all people, he’ll know why I’m saying I didn’t expect that from he of all people. But unfortunately, some people live by their stomachs in the kind of things that they do. So given my recent experience, I’ll say I’m not too surprised”.

Meanwhile, the Asogli State Council has also dismissed Paul Adom-Otchere’s claims. In a letter written in response to comments by Mr Adom-Otchere on Wednesday, the Asogli State Council emphasized that Paul lied about the number of times the traditional leader attended meetings while serving on the Council. The letter also debunked claims about some monies Togbe Afede had allegedly received while at post on the Council. The letter, which was titled: ‘Paul Adom-Otchere lied’, reads as follows: “Our attention has been drawn to comments and allegations made by one Paul Adom Otchere in his Good Evening Ghana programme on Metro TV on June 7, 2022 during his discussion of Togbe Afede XIV’s rejection of Ex Gratia payment made to him. We ordinarily would not respond to comments from Paul Adom-Otchere, knowing who he is. But while we ponder a more suitable reaction, specific allegations he made cannot be ignored:

1.The numbers Paul Adom-Otchere presented on Togbe’s attendance at meetings of the Council of State are both incorrect and misleading, and are a disingenuous attempt to discredit Togbe’s performance at the Council. We challenge him to provide the Council’s attendance register from which he compiled his numbers for all to know the truth”.

In their explanation, the Asogli State continued: “The Council had three committees, one of which Togbe chaired, the Economy and Special Development Initiatives Committee. And Togbe had an excellent plenary meeting attendance record”.

The letter further stated that:

2. Togbe did not take a loan from Government. SG Bank offered commercial loans to Council members, which Togbe has fully repaid.

3. Togbe presented himself as a resident of Accra and did not claim any transport allowances from the Council.

4. Togbe did not say the ex-gratia payments were illegal. He believes part-time work by our senior citizens should not merit ex gratia payment by our poor country.

5. Finally, Togbe’s rejection of the ex-gratia payment is not a partisan political matter.

It is on the back of this that social media was buzzing earlier, commending the traditional leader.

来源：JoyNews

文: Raphael Ghartey, Paa Kwesi Schandorf

阿索格利州议会