Afenyo-Markin Urges Higher Salary Increase For Government Workers

• Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has appealed for a larger salary increase for government workers
• The government has approved a 10% wage increase for public sector workers after negotiations
• Afenyo-Markin said the 10% salary increment that was announced on February 20 was unacceptable

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin is appealing for a larger salary increase for government workers.

Afenyo-Markin said the 10% salary increment announced on February 20 was unacceptable.

Speaking in Parliament, he said the president needed to do better.

The Majority Leader also referenced past wage increases for the public sector.

"In 2017, public sector workers enjoyed 12 and a half percent increment; 2018, 11%; 2020, 15%; 2021, there was a 4% plus interim premium of 15%; 2022 there was 15% COLA on base salary; 2023 30%; 2024 23% between January and June; and then July to December was 25%. We have just our head heard a paltry increment of 10%."

Read also

Government approves 10% wage hike for public sector employees effective March 1

In response, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the rate of increase, noting that organised labour accepted the 10%.

"Accepting 10% as against 25% or 12% or 13% is a vote of confidence in the leader because they are confident that President John Dramani Mahama, when he collects the public, taxes, he will not be flying aircraft and bathing in the air, that he will not be engaging in wasteful spending."

Increased in public sector wages

This wage increase followed successful negotiations between the labour unions and the government.

This increment would take effect from March 1 and marks the second wage adjustment in less than a year.

The previous increase saw a 23% salary adjustment in 2024, which was intended to support workers amid rising costs of living.

President John Mahama met with the union representatives to secure their support for the increase.

He urged labour unions to take Ghana’s economic challenges into account as they negotiate new wage adjustments.

Read also

Walmart sales rise but shares tumble on forecast

The National Tripartite Committee also announced a 10% increase in Ghana’s National Daily Minimum Wage to GH₵19.97.

Multidimensionally poverty in Ghana

YEN.com.gh reported that a Ghana Statistical Service survey revealed that the Ashanti Region has the highest count of multidimensionally poor people, with 900,000 falling in that bracket.

It is followed closely by the Northern Region, which has a multidimensional poverty count of about 800,000 individuals.

The Ghana Statistical Service states this reflects a nationwide issue of widespread poverty and deprivation.

Source: YEN.com.gh