Late Major Maxwell Mahama.
Parliament yesterday, passed the Major Mahama Trust Bill, 2017, after it went through the legislative processes required to make it legal.
The Trust Fund Bill, now an Act, is to honour the memory of the late Major Maxwell Mahama who was lynched by an angry mob at Denkyira Obuasi in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region on May 29, 2017, whiles on detachment duties.
A memorandum which accompanied the bill and signed by Dominic Nitiwul, the Defence Minister when it was first introduced in the House said the establishment of the fund had become necessary to give effect to government’s commitment towards the family of the late soldier “considering the circumstances under which the officer died.”
“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 of the late officer, will therefore ensure that all monies intended for the welfare and upkeep generally….are properly administered by a Board of Trustees who have a fiduciary relationship with the beneficiaries of the Fund,” the memorandum added.
According to the bill, setting up the Trust Fund would guarantee that proceeds were properly managed to benefit the beneficiaries with trustees expected to account for the utilisation of the funds regularly as prescribed in the law.
“The Trustees are also to keep account of the trust property and to produce them to any beneficiary when required; as well as 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 draft added.
Though the Minority Caucus during the consideration wished the Act took care of all military personnel who died in the line of duty, the Majority side shot down that argument maintaining that it was a private bill hence its objective could not be altered.
Speaking with journalists following the voice vote, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul said the Act would give the hope that service to the country is rewarding.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in the heat of the funeral rites of the Maxwell Mahama, posthumously promoted the then 32 year old Captain to the rank of a Major and pledged a GH¢500,000 seed money from state coffers for the Fund.
Late Major Mahama’s death threw the country into a state of mourning as gory footages of how he was killed emerged barely hours after his death was reported.
More than 20 suspects are currently standing trial here in Accra for their alleged involvement in his death.
Major Mahama left behind two children and a wife.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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