Ghanaian broadcaster based in the United Kingdom, Austine Woode, has accused the John Mahama government of sitting on an explosive pay rise report for Article 71 office holders.
According to Austine Woode, the Janet Ampadu report increased the salaries of Article 71 office holders, but the Mahama government has failed to make the document public.
He further disclosed that Ghana paid top-up pay and ex gratia of over 850m GHS to Article 71 holders from 2021 to 2024.
In a post on X sharing the recommended salaries of Ghana’s Article 71 Office Holders from 2017 to 2021, he wrote, “This was how much we pay.
President, Vice President, Speaker, Ministers, and MPs
Janet Ampadu report increased it, but Pres Mahama’s gov’t has not made it public, and Parliament doesn’t want us to know.
They paid top-up pay and ex gratia of over 850m GHS to Article 71 holders from 2021-2024”.
Some netizens reacting to the tables from Ghana’s 2017-2021 Article 71 emoluments report stated, “Look at how much these guys are paid, and I am guessing is excluding all the other incentives they enjoy…how will they ever solve the issues of the ordinary citizens when they are this comfortable?”.
A netizen added, “Eiiii 850m GHS for ex gratia under NPP? And they were feeding SHS students expired rice? Priorities, wrong papa”.
“These lazy Article 71 holders or whatever their name is, pay themselves huge sums of money for doing absolutely nothing meaningful yet pay the ordinary public sector employee chicken change. That fair wages and labour unions must be scrapped; they work against the ordinary man”, a netizen added.
One X user added, “At the end of the year, they would go sit somewhere with those corrupt guys at the fair wages and salaries commission only to plot on how to further worden the plight of the ordinary public sector worker with some funny 5-10% increment while they take over 100% increment. Sad”.
In other news, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State for Government Communications, has disclosed that the Akufo-Addo administration determined every salary being taken at the presidency by President John Mahama appointees.
He debunked allegations that President John Dramani Mahama has increased the salaries of staff at the Presidency.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the current salary remuneration structure was determined under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
He argued that under Ghana’s Constitution, the service of Article 71 office holders is determined through a specific legal process that requires the President to establish a committee, revealing that President Mahama has not set up any committee to look at the emoluments.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, June 15, 2026, Felix Kwakye Ofosu stated, “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”.
“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.
“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.
He added, “Every salary being taken now by political appointees at the Presidency was determined under President Akufo-Addo. It also includes ex gratia payments to previous government officials and monies owed them”.
“In 2025, we were still composing government, so the full complement of government officials had not been effected”, he said.
See the post below:
This was how much we pay
— Austine (@obiMpenaAustine) June 18, 2026
President
Vice
Speaker
Ministers
MPs
Janet Ampadu report increased it but Pres Mahama’s gov’t has not made it public and Parliament doesn’t want us to know
They paid top up pay and ex gratia of over 850m GHS to Article 71 holders from 2021-2024 pic.twitter.com/8IRU4LWWtu
