How does a lean government end up with a significantly higher compensation bill? — Abu Jinapor quizzes

The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has questioned what he describes as the rising cost of government machinery under the John Mahama administration despite claims of operating a lean government.

His comments follow the submission of a report to Parliament by President John Dramani Mahama detailing the staffing position at the Presidency as of December 31, 2025.

The report showed that the Presidency had 808 employees in 2025.

According to Abu Jinapor, a reduction in staff numbers alone is not enough to conclude that government expenditure has reduced, arguing that the broader network of political appointees must also be considered.

In a video shared on social media on Monday, June 15, the Damongo MP said, "The budgetary allocation for compensation under the Office of Government Machinery, as presented by the Finance Minister, moved from approximately GHS326 million in 2024 to about GHS2.7 billion in the 2025 budget before being revised during the appropriation process to approximately GHS362 in the 2026 budget... the figure now stands at approximately GHS540 milion."

This figure, according to the lawmaker, is almost double what the previous administration spent on compensation.

“This naturally raises an important question, how does a government employ fewer people while spending more, and how does a government that came into office promising to cut waste and operate a lean government end up with a significantly higher compensation bill?” he argued.

He contended that the true size of government should be measured by its cost to taxpayers rather than only the number of ministers and presidential staff.

However, the Minister of State in Charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has dismissed claims that compensation for presidential staff has increased under the Mahama administration.

Responding to the allegations on Monday, he said assertions that salaries of political appointees at the Presidency had been increased were misleading and inaccurate.

Kwakye Ofosu explained that the current administration continues to operate under salary structures and conditions of service approved before President Mahama assumed office in January 2025.

He stressed that under Ghana's constitutional arrangements, the President cannot unilaterally determine the salaries of Article 71 office holders and noted that no new emoluments committee has been established by the current administration.

According to the minister, the Presidency currently employs 808 staff, comprising 233 political appointees and 575 civil and public servants, compared to 953 staff under the previous administration in 2024.