Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has defended the administration’s staffing levels at the Presidency, stating that recent figures show a reduction in the number of political appointees compared to previous years.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, Kwakye Ofosu said President John Dramani Mahama, in compliance with Ghana’s laws, submitted a published list of persons working at the Presidency during the first quarter of the year.
He disclosed that the current structure comprises 233 political appointees and 575 civil and public servants, bringing the total workforce at the Presidency to 808.
According to him, this represents a reduction from the 2024 list, which contained 953 staff made up of 355 political appointees and 598 civil and public servants. He noted that the 2024 figures were associated with the previous administration.
Kwakye Ofosu said President Mahama had fulfilled his promise to reduce the number of political appointees and streamline government size, including ministers and deputy ministers.
He added that the current government has 58 ministers and deputy ministers in office, following the loss of two officials who have not yet been replaced, despite an initial plan to work with 60 ministers.
Addressing public discourse on salaries of political appointees at the Presidency, he dismissed claims that emoluments had increased under the Mahama administration, describing such reports as misleading.
He explained that no new committee has been established by President Mahama to determine the salaries and conditions of service of Article 71 office holders, meaning the current arrangements were inherited from the previous administration.
According to him, constitutional procedures require that such emoluments be set by a committee and approved by Parliament, a process he said was last completed under former President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Kwakye Ofosu further clarified that while Article 71 office holders include the President, Vice President, ministers, deputy ministers and Members of Parliament, staff at the Presidency are not classified under that category.
However, he noted that there is a long-standing administrative practice, followed by successive governments, of using analogous classification to determine the conditions of service of presidential staff.
He argued that claims suggesting the current administration has increased salaries are therefore false and do not reflect the established legal and administrative processes.
Kwakye Ofosu urged the public to disregard what he described as misinformation circulating in sections of the media and political circles regarding the matter.
source: ChannelOneOnline