Government denies claims of new committee on Article 71 emoluments

The government has denied claims that President John Dramani Mahama has established a committee to review the emoluments of Article 71 office holders, insisting that no changes have been made to the existing salary structure.

Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said on Monday, June 15, that recent assertions suggesting increases in the salaries of political appointees at the Presidency were misleading.

He said the current emoluments framework remains in place and was inherited from the previous administration.

“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 said.

He explained that under Ghana’s Constitution, the remuneration of Article 71 office holders is determined through a structured process involving a committee whose recommendations must be approved by Parliament before taking effect.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu added that successive administrations, including those of former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and President Mahama during his previous tenure, have all operated within this same constitutional framework.

According to him, figures from the Presidency show that there are currently 225 political appointees and 575 civil and public servants working at the seat of government.

He contrasted this with 2024 figures from the previous administration, which he said recorded 365 political appointees and 598 civil and public servants.

He said the reduction in political appointees reflects efforts to streamline government operations and reduce public expenditure in line with President Mahama’s commitment to a leaner administration.

The government spokesperson reiterated that no new emoluments committee has been formed and that existing salaries and conditions of service remain unchanged pending any formal constitutional review process.

“It is therefore illogical and blatantly false for anybody to claim that President Mahama has increased the salaries and conditions of service of officeholders,” he said.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency, and prudent management of public resources.

What is Article 71 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution?

Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana provides a framework for determining the salaries, allowances and privileges of certain senior public office holders.

It applies to positions such as the President and Vice-President, the Speaker and Members of Parliament, the Chief Justice and other superior court judges, Electoral Commission officials, the Auditor-General, and the Commissioners for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), among others.

Under the Constitution, emoluments are determined through a committee appointed by the President. The committee makes recommendations, which are then submitted for approval by Parliament before they take effect.

The arrangement is intended to ensure that the remuneration of these office holders is determined through a structured and constitutionally regulated process, rather than by unilateral executive action.

Any changes to salaries or conditions of service must therefore follow this established process of committee review and parliamentary approval.