The Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has dismissed assertions that President John Dramani Mahama raised the pay of presidency personnel, maintaining that the existing salary framework was established during the preceding Akufo-Addo government.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, June 15, 2026, the minister addressed accusations suggesting the Mahama leadership had endorsed wage hikes for presidential employees and various Article 71 officials.
He clarified that the Ghanaian Constitution dictates a precise legal procedure for deciding the wages and benefits of Article 71 office holders, which involves the President appointing a dedicated panel to provide proposals.
“When it comes to the salaries of Article 71 holders, the law is clear that the president must set up a committee. For the avoidance of doubt, President Mahama has not set up any committee to look at the emoluments or conditions of Article 71 holders. So, the salaries of these categories of people who are working under President Mahama were determined by the NPP,” he said.
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu noted that the guidelines regulating the active pay scale were ratified prior to the transition of power and continue to stand since no fresh evaluation has taken place.
“The law requires that when the committee finishes, the presidency must transmit the report to Parliament for subsequent approval. That was not done, so in January 2025, President Akufo-Addo submitted the recommendation to Parliament, which was approved,” he said.
The minister concluded by stating that the current administration is simply following the inherited system because President Mahama has not convened a new panel, making the critics’ claims of a presidential salary hike entirely unreasonable.
“Because President Mahama has not set up such a committee, it is what we came to meet that we are taking. It is therefore illogical that the opponents turn round to say that President Mahama has increased salaries,” Mr Kwakye Ofosu added.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
