A Cruel Joke on Ghanaian Workers: The Pathetic 9% Base Pay Increase and the Endless Greed of Article 71 Office Holders

When the government announced a 9 per cent increase in the base pay for public sector workers in the 2026 budget, many Ghanaian workers were left speechless — not out of gratitude, but disbelief. How can a government that claims to care about the welfare of its citizens be so insensitive to the plight of the poor Ghanaian worker? This meagre increment is nothing short of an insult to those who keep the engine of the nation running through sweat and sacrifice.

What is particularly pathetic about this 9 per cent increase is that the ordinary Ghanaian worker earns virtually nothing in salaries or allowances. These are the same people who endure harsh economic conditions, rising fuel prices, skyrocketing rent, and the daily struggle to feed their families — all while serving the nation faithfully. Yet, the privileged few under Article 71 of the Constitution continue to rip off the state coffers every four years without shame.

These Article 71 office holders — Ministers, Members of Parliament, Judges, and other political appointees — live in a world completely detached from the realities of the common Ghanaian. They enjoy the fattest salaries and the juiciest allowances imaginable, in addition to free fuel, free accommodation, free utilities, and free vehicles. Their lavish benefits mock the struggling teacher, the overworked nurse, and the underpaid civil servant who can barely make ends meet.

If the justification for this insulting 9 per cent is that the economy is struggling and the government cannot afford more, then we are waiting impatiently to see what these same politicians will allocate to themselves when their separate emoluments committees sit. Because, historically, economic hardship has never stopped Article 71 office holders from awarding themselves extravagant salary increases and outrageous end-of-service packages.

What makes the situation even more painful is the inequality in retirement benefits. While poor workers must toil for 30 years or more to earn a modest pension, MPs and government appointees retire every four years and receive ex-gratia payments so huge that they could fund the pensions of ten ordinary workers. The irony is that some of them return to Parliament or are reappointed, only to retire again after another four years — with yet another ex-gratia. What kind of daylight robbery is this?

Let’s take an MP as an example. After just four years in Parliament, an MP walks away with an end-of-service benefit that can equal or exceed what a poor teacher, nurse, or police officer might earn after decades of dedicated service. This is not only unfair — it is morally reprehensible.

At this point, one thing is clear: Ghanaian workers have been reduced to mere hewers of wood and drawers of water for the political elite. This wicked system must stop. Every worker — whether an MP, Minister, or Judge — should be placed under the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. That is the only way fairness and equity can be achieved in our national pay structure. Such a move will also help reduce corruption and dependency on politicians for survival. After all, if every worker is paid fairly, who will need to beg or depend on political handouts?

Alternatively, if this cannot be done, then let all Ghanaian workers be migrated onto the Article 71 pay structure, so that everyone can enjoy the same fat and juicy allowances. After all, we all work for Mother Ghana, and our sweat and efforts deserve equal reward. This Animal Farm situation — where some are “more equal than others” — cannot be tolerated any longer by the suffering workers who have been cheated for far too long.

As we wait for the end of this political cycle, Ghanaians will be watching closely to see what these Article 71 office holders will award themselves this time. Their decision will determine what action the citizens must take next. It is unfair and unsustainable to continue treating Ghanaian workers with such disdain.

After all, His Excellency John Mahama once promised to scrap the monstrous ex-gratia system. The people of Ghana will hold him to that promise, for justice delayed is justice denied. Ghanaians are counting this promise as part of his ultimate failure or success in government — and he must know that.