The Major Mahama Trust Fund Bill, 2017, has been laid in Parliament by the Minister for Defence, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul.
The Bill seeks to cater adequately for the wife and children of the late, Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, who was lynched by a mob at Denkyira Obuasi, on Monday, the 29th of May, 2017, while on detachment duties. He was an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The memorandum to the Bill stipulates that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, subsequent to the death, pledged to establish a Memorial Trust Fund with a seed money of GH¢500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis), in honour of the deceased officer.
It says that to give effect to the President’s commitment towards the welfare of the late officer’s widow, Mrs. Barbara Mahama and his children, Jaden Mahama and Jeremiah Boressah Mahama, it has become necessary to draft this Bill considering the circumstances under which the officer died, while on a national duty.
It also states that the Bill, with the sole object of catering adequately for the widow of the late officer until she remarries, and catering adequately for the children, will therefore ensure that all moneys intended for the welfare and the upkeep, particularly the education of the children, are properly administered by a Board of Trustees, who have a fiduciary relationship with the beneficiaries of the Fund and the Republic of Ghana.
The memorandum reiterates that the setting up of the Trust Fund will therefore guarantee that the proceeds of the Trust Fund are properly managed to the benefit of the beneficiaries.
It further indicates that under the Bill, the Trustees have a duty to account for the Trust Fund regularly and as prescribed by law.
It adds that the Trustees are also to keep account of the Trust property and to produce them to any beneficiary when required. They are also to provide all reasonable information regarding how the Trust property has been dealt with. The Trustees also have a duty to invest the Trust property in safe securities.
The 24 Clause Bill, also empowers the Defence Minister to, on the advice of the Board of Trustees, and by legislative instrument, make Regulations for the procedure for the disbursement of the Trust Fund, and for the effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.
