Mahama spends GHC249m on 808 staffers in a year, surpassing Akufo-Addo’s peak of GHC153m for 920 staffers

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Akufo-Addo and President Mahama

A breakdown of President John Dramani Mahama’s political appointees at the Jubilee House in 2025 revealed that the NDC government had 124 fewer staffers at the Jubilee House in 2025 compared to the Akufo-Addo administration in 2023.

Although the Office of the President’s compensation bill was more than double, rising from ¢100 million in 2025 to ¢248 million in 2026, questions are being raised about whether a smaller Presidency has necessarily become a cheaper one to run.

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In total, President Mahama’s Presidency had 233 political appointees in 2025, as compared to the publicly available data from the Akufo-Addo administration from 2023, which summed up to 357 political appointees, as data from the 2024 staffing report was not public following the change in administration.

Comparing the Akufo-Addo 2023 staff and President John Mahama’s 2025 staff revealed that the latter reduced political appointees by 124; however, reports suggest the classification may understate the number of senior-level appointees.

Although “compensation at the Office of the President amounted to ¢125 million in 2023 and rose to ¢153 million in 2024. It then fell to ¢100 million in 2025, possibly reflecting the reduction in staff numbers.

However, the 2026 budget projects compensation of GH¢248 million. That is an increase of about 148% in a single year”, reports stated.

At least 11 other political appointees have responsibilities similar to those of positions the Akufo-Addo administration classified as Senior Presidential Staffers.

“One possible explanation for the question of why staff numbers are falling but compensation is projected to rise so sharply is the fact that the 2025 compensation figures did not fully reflect the revised Article 71 salaries that were subsequently approved.

The new salary structure reportedly places MPs on about ¢60,000 per month, with ministers earning around similar levels.

Senior Presidential Staffers are generally remunerated in line with ministers, while many junior political appointees are aligned with deputy minister salary levels”.

Meanwhile, data scientist Alfred Appiah, in a post, has attributed the 2026 increase to new secretariats, including the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, Accra Initiative, Black Star Experience, and related offices, shown in detailed budget tables.

In his post shared on X, Alfred Appiah wrote, “The reduction in the number of staff at the Office of the President generated cost savings in compensation during the first year. In 2024, the Office of the President cost centre recorded total compensation of 154 million cedis. In 2025, the compensation fell to 100 million cedis.

However, the picture changes in 2026. The government has established additional secretariats under the Office of the President, including the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, the Accra Initiative, and the Black Star Experience, among others. As a result, compensation at the Presidency has increased to 248 million cedis”.

In other news, the Office of the President has officially release it annual Presidential Staffing list for 2025, submitted to Parliament, revealing that 808 staff were working at the Jubilee House as of 31 December 2025.

According to reports, the annual Presidential Staffing list was prepared under Section 11 of the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463).

The list outlines the composition of the workforce and gives a detailed breakdown of personnel attached to the Presidency in 2025, from 1 January to 31 December.

The list showed that President Mahama made 233 political appointees and 585 public sector employees, including civil servants and officers seconded from other state institutions.

It also revealed that 4 Ministers of State were serving at the Presidency as of the end of December 2025, with 39 officials designated as Presidential Staffers, while another 190 individuals are listed under the category of other political appointees working within the Office of the President.

The breakdown of the staffing positioning at the Office of the President as of December 31st, 2025, is as follows, as compiled by citinews:

“1. Political Appointees (Total: 233)

The political administration of the presidency comprises three primary brackets, totalling 233 officials:

Ministers of State at the Presidency: 4

Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu (Government Communications)

Hon. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum (Special Initiatives)

Hon. Seidu Issifu (Climate Change and Sustainability)

Hon. Lydia Lamisa Akanvariba (Public Sector Reform)

Political Staffers: 39 (Including top-tier leadership such as Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, Executive Secretary Dr Calistus Mahama, and various presidential advisors and aides).

Other Political Appointees: 190 (Comprising technical coordinators, legal advisors across various ministries, regional political coordinators, executive assistants, and political drivers).

2. Civil Service Staff (Total: 390)

A total of 390 personnel form the core Civil Service staff framework operating within the presidency, segmented across multiple specialised classes and secretariats”.

See the post below:

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