Bright Simons, the Vice President of IMANI Africa, has explained why the United Kingdom MP’s $11,000 salary is the same as a Ghanaian MP’s $5300 salary.
In a social media post, Bright Simons compared the salary of a UK MP and a Ghanaian MP via purchasing power parity to UK MPs’ higher nominal pay, adjusting for Ghana’s lower costs in Accra versus London.
His post further contrasts the pay gap between Ghanaian nurses who earn about 8% of an MP’s salary versus 40% for equivalent UK NHS nurses, highlighting a 12.5x socioeconomic distance imposed by public pay policy.
Bright Simons further noted that Gen Z commentators are challenging the justification for such disparities more forcefully than prior generations.
In a post on X, Bright Simons wrote, “*Policy Bites from the News Reel*
Analyst Caleb Ziblim at Ghanaian media giant Multimedia says Ghanaian Members of Parliament (MPs) have been given a 100% pay hike.
Their base salary has thus jumped from GHS 30,000 to GHS 60,000.
When millennial Shatta Wale heard that Ghanaian MPs earn $2650 (GHS 30,000) a month. He expressed total shock.
First, he says it is ridiculously small. Second, he doesn’t think that if that were true, MPs would be able to afford the cars and houses he sees them in.
Shatta clearly wouldn’t see anything wrong about MPs earning $5300 a month. It might make their cars and houses less incongruous.
In fact, some millennials point to MPs of the United Kingdom earning $11,000 base pay a month.
Gen Zee commentators (analyst Caleb Ziblim’s kind and kin) are like: “wait a frigging minute!” Look, we have Internet, okay?
First, there is something called Purchasing Power Parity. A dollar in the UK buys less than it does in Ghana and a bit more in the US, home of the dollar.
So, the $11k the UK MP earns is actually like $12,240. And the $5300 the Ghanaian MP earns feels more like $12,220. Almost equal!
Then there is the cost of living. UK MPs must work in London and keep a flat there. Ghanaian MPs work in Accra. Accra rent (crazy as it is) is still ~60% lower than in Greater London.
So, what’s with the pre-internet arithmetic, Gen Zees dare Millennials.
Well, for us policy analysts, the real issue is how to set the socioeconomic distance between politicians and the average citizen by fiat of public pay policy.
The average band 5 NHS nurse (entry-level degree nurse) with 4 years’ experience hits ~$4400 a month. That is 40% of the salary of a UK MP.
A GHS nurse of equivalent standing (using Single Spine 18L rank in 2024 with ~19% cumulative adjustment since then) earns about $425 a month, base. That is 8% of the Ghanaian MP’s base.
A whopping 12.5x socioeconomic distance imposed by public pay policy. Even at the old pay scale, it would still be more than 600% higher than a degree nurse.
Methinks this time, Gen Zees are sounding more serious than Millennials.
Howzat?”
The Vice President of IMANI Africa’s remarks follow reports by Joynews Analyst Caleb Ziblim, who revealed that Ghanaian Members of Parliament (MPs) have been given a 100% pay hike.
According to Caleb Ziblim, the projected amount is derived from the new salary structure that took effect in 2025, following an adjustment in the salaries of MPs, ministers and other public officials under the Mahama government.
He disclosed that MPs previously received about GH¢30,000 a month up to 2024 before the adjustment was made.
Caleb Ziblim further stressed that the GH¢60,000 figure does not include the allowances MPs receive.
In a video shared on X, Caleb Ziblim, Research and Data Analyst at JoyNews, disclosed, saying, “So, we know that for the past four years, the MPs, ministers and all of that were making about GH¢30,000 a month, but then from 2025 going, they are now making GH¢60,000 a month, so that’s about the problem”.
“About GH¢30,000 four years ago up to 2024. So, after 2024, there’s an adjustment in our salaries, and now the new salary structure will mean that the basic salary is about GH¢60,000 every month,” he stated.
“That’s without the allowances. So, that’s about double,” he added.
“So, we are assuming that the jump from 100 million to now 248 million is because the president is now using the new and approved salary structure by Parliament, so this could explain why the jump from 100 million to 248 million,” he explained.
See the post below:
*Policy Bites from the News Reel*
— Bright Simons (@BBSimons) September 3, 2026
Analyst Caleb Ziblim at Ghanaian media giant, Multimedia, says Ghanaian Members of Parliament (MPs) have been given a 100% pay hike.
Their base salary has thus jumped from GHS 30,000 to GHS 60,000.
When millennial Shatta Wale heard that… pic.twitter.com/pccWvjYASa
@ghnow_ Hon. Ewurabena Aubynn is empowering constituents of Ablekuma North through poultry farming by distributing birds and supporting sustainable livelihood opportunities. 🐔🇬🇭 #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Adu Boahene spotted at the Accra High Court earlier today #GHnow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
