The government today declared that President John Dramani Mahama has not established a committee to review or set the salaries for Article 71 office holders. The salaries and service conditions currently in use were adopted from the previous administration. Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu made this statement on Monday, June 15, addressing public concerns about salary increases for presidential appointees.
Ghana’s Constitution outlines a specific process for determining the pay and working conditions for Article 71 office holders. This process requires a committee to make recommendations, which Parliament must then approve before they become active. Mr. Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that President Mahama has not formed such a committee during his current term.
This clarification puts the issue into the broader context of Ghana's public finance and governance discussions. The salaries of high-ranking officials, including the President, Vice President, Members of Parliament, and Supreme Court Justices, fall under Article 71. These emoluments often spark public debate regarding fiscal discipline and government spending. The government's statement highlights continuous adherence to constitutional mandates for these salary determinations. Data from 2024 showed the previous administration had 365 political appointees and 598 civil and public servants.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Mahama has not set up a committee to determine the emoluments and working conditions of Article 71 office holders. The salaries and conditions of service being enjoyed today were determined by the previous government,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu stated. He described claims about government-led salary increases for political appointees as misleading. The current administration operates under an existing framework approved by the prior government. Similar constitutional processes were followed by past Presidents, including John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The current Presidency has 225 political appointees and 575 civil and public servants. This represents a reduction in political appointees compared to the 365 in 2024 under the previous administration. This decrease shows the government's aim to streamline the Presidency and reduce spending. President Mahama had pledged to run a leaner administration. The existing salary structure remains unchanged, with constitutional processes involving grading and classification systems aligned with public service benchmarks still in force. These will continue until a new committee is formed and its recommendations are approved by Parliament.
The government urged the public to dismiss what it called false claims about salary increases. “It is therefore illogical and blatantly false for anybody, especially members of the opposition, after having determined the conditions of service of the officeholders, to turn around and claim that President Mahama has increased the salaries and conditions of the officeholders,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu asserted. This situation highlights how political narratives can influence public perception of government spending. Moving forward, the public will likely watch for any new committees formed to review Article 71 emoluments. This also places focus on the government's commitment to fiscal discipline and transparent public sector management.