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🇬🇭 Ghana /Elections & Politics

Presidential staff salaries: Minister slams 'flat lie' on increases

From Ghanaian Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Minister Felix Ofosu Kwakye refutes claims of increased Presidential Staff salaries, calling them a "flat lie."
  • He states current staff inherited previous salary levels and that the total wage bill will decrease due to staff reductions.
  • Ofosu Kwakye asserts that salaries were approved by Parliament under the previous government and cannot be altered without a new committee, which has not been formed.

Ghanaian Minister for Government Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, has vehemently dismissed allegations that presidential staff salaries have ballooned under the current administration, labeling the claims as a "flat lie." He asserted that the current staff at the Presidency have inherited the same salaries and conditions of service approved for their predecessors.

It is in fact a mathematical certainty that the total amount paid in salaries to the current staff will be smaller compared to yours once your arrears are paid because of the reduction in numbers.

— Felix Ofosu KwakyeExplaining the projected decrease in the total wage bill due to staff reductions.

Ofosu Kwakye argued that once arrears owed to former Article 71 office holders are settled, the total wage bill for the current administration will actually be lower. This reduction, he explained, is due to a decrease in the overall number of staff employed. "It is in fact a mathematical certainty that the total amount paid in salaries to the current staff will be smaller compared to yours once your arrears are paid because of the reduction in numbers," he stated.

The minister further clarified that the salaries and conditions in question were approved by Parliament on January 6, 2025, during the tenure of the previous government. He emphasized that the Constitution prohibits any changes to these emoluments until a new committee is established to determine the remuneration for Article 71 office holders under a new administration. "No such committee has been set up by President Mahama and no alteration has been made," he clarified, questioning the basis for the "ballooning" claims beyond "pure lies and mischief."

No such committee has been set up by President Mahama and no alteration has been made.

— Felix Ofosu KwakyeClarifying that no new committee has been formed to alter presidential staff salaries.

The public debate was fueled by critics alleging a significant spike in the presidential staff wage bill. Ofosu Kwakye's response aims to counter these assertions by providing a detailed explanation of the salary structure and the constitutional framework governing such payments.

So on what basis, apart from pure lies and mischief, can a claim of ballooning be made?

— Felix Ofosu KwakyeChallenging the validity of claims about increased presidential staff salaries.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ghanaian Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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