Kwakye Ofosu Rejects Claims of Discrimination in Payment of Presidential Staff Arrears
Government Communications Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu has rejected suggestions that the Mahama administration is selectively paying salary arrears to Presidential staff, insisting that such claims are misleading and unsupported by the facts.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Mr Kwakye Ofosu responded directly to comments made by former presidential legal adviser Kow Essuman, who had accused the government of discriminatory treatment over the payment of staff salary arrears. The minister maintained that arrears for Article 71 office holders are a routine feature of transitions between administrations and should not be framed as politically motivated.
The exchange follows a series of public statements by Mr Essuman, who earlier accused the Mahama government of discriminatory treatment over staff salary arrears and subsequently alleged that the administration had breached the law by failing to submit the 2024 staffing report for the Office of the President.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu argued that the salary structure currently in use was approved by Parliament on January 6, 2025, following processes initiated under the previous government. According to him, the Mahama administration has not altered those approved conditions nor acted outside constitutional requirements governing such remuneration frameworks.
The minister further dismissed allegations of discriminatory payment practices, insisting that such narratives distort the financial realities at the Presidency. He said the focus should remain on the lawful implementation of approved emoluments rather than what he described as attempts to politicise standard administrative processes.
The dispute touches on a recurring tension in Ghanaian politics: the politically sensitive issue of compensation for presidential staff and Article 71 office holders. Each transition of power brings scrutiny of how the incoming administration handles arrears left by its predecessor, and competing claims of favouritism or neglect are common.
Mr Essuman, who served as Legal Counsel to former President Nana Akufo-Addo, has been vocal in holding the current administration to account on matters of transparency and legal compliance at the Presidency. His allegations have drawn attention to the broader question of whether the transition process adequately addresses the financial entitlements of outgoing staff.
The government’s position, as articulated by Mr Kwakye Ofosu, is that the administration is simply implementing what Parliament approved and that no group of staff has been unfairly excluded from receiving their entitlements. Whether this explanation satisfies critics remains to be seen, but the debate underscores the importance of clear communication and transparency in managing presidential staff remuneration.
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