Former Defence Minister and Bimbilla MP, Dominic Nitiwul, has strongly disputed claims that the previous administration left behind military gratuity arrears, while accusing the government of worsening farmers’ hardship and failing to prepare adequately for emergency evacuations abroad.
Contributing to debate on the State of the Nation Address delivered by President John Dramani Mahama under Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, Mr Nitiwul said Constitutional Instrument (CI) 129 was introduced to correct poor conditions of service in the Ghana Armed Forces — not to create unpaid liabilities.
He explained that the instrument aligned military salaries with other security agencies and extended the compulsory retirement age by five years. Personnel from the 1995 enlistment group, who were due to retire in 2020, had their service extended to 2025.
“Arrears arise when payment is due and unpaid. In this case, payment was not due because their service had been extended,” he told the House.
He disclosed that the enhanced conditions significantly increased gratuity obligations, requiring about GH¢1 billion more for roughly 1,000 affected personnel. He also revealed that government initially attempted to pay retirees using the old CI rates, which were rejected by the military, adding that he advised the Finance Minister to ensure payments are made under the new CI.
On agriculture, Mr Nitiwul argued that although food prices have dropped, farmers are suffering because all five key production inputs — tractor services, transportation, fertiliser, agrochemicals and labour — have increased.
Using the example of a popular “Hadron” motorbike, he said a rice farmer who needed 17 bags of rice to purchase one during COVID-19 would now need about 50 bags, despite the bike’s current price dropping from GH¢17,000 to about GH¢15,000. He made similar comparisons for yam and cassava farmers, insisting that producers have lost significant purchasing power.
“The farmers of this country are suffering. They cannot breathe,” he declared, urging government to reduce input costs instead of celebrating falling food prices.
Mr Nitiwul also revisited his 2022 proposal for a strategic airlift aircraft capable of transporting 150–200 passengers, arguing that Ghana’s inability to evacuate citizens from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Dubai amid tensions in the Gulf exposes poor planning. He criticised the acquisition of a smaller presidential aircraft with a capacity of about 16 passengers, insisting a larger multi-purpose aircraft would have supported evacuation efforts.
He called on government to brief Parliament on plans and costs for evacuating stranded Ghanaians.
Concluding, the former Defence Minister said economic performance must be judged by citizens’ lived realities.
“The economy is in the pocket,” he stated, maintaining that ordinary Ghanaians, particularly farmers, are under severe pressure.
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