Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, immediate past Finance Minister, has countered President John Dramani Mahama’s claims about the NPP administration’s mismanagement of the economy.
The President had accused the previous government of recklessness in handling the economy, leaving the country in ruins and handing over an economy “in shambles.”
“One thing that is a cardinal principle for us is to tell the truth at all times. We all knew the economy was in crisis, but some of the things I’m discovering myself — I mean, it’s been a criminal handling of our economy, and Ghana is a crime scene, actually.
“How a government could have been so reckless, I cannot understand,” President Mahama said while addressing labour unions during discussions on the country’s base pay adjustment in Accra on Thursday, February 20.
Responding to this, the Karaga lawmaker reminded the President that the same economy he described as “criminally mishandled” managed to “afford increases in the base pay for public sector workers by 30% in 2023; 23% from January to June 2024; and 25% from July to December 2024 — and still posted decent fiscal deficits.”
In a social media post on Thursday, February 20, Dr. Amin Adam questioned, “What has changed between December 2024 and February 2025 that has suddenly put the economy in crisis, making it unable to afford a base pay adjustment above 10%?”
Meanwhile, the government has announced a 10% base pay increase for more than 700,000 public sector workers.
Addressing this, President Mahama assured labour unions that an independent emoluments committee would be established to propose fair salaries for workers once the economy recovers next year.
“We are proposing an independent emoluments committee that will set incomes for everyone — from the President right down to the ordinary labourer. We are prepared to walk this journey with you, but I appeal to you to reach an agreement on this for now so we can use this year as a year of correction.
“Then, once we’ve corrected things, we’ll see how the economy performs. If it moves in the direction we all hope for, and we have an independent emoluments committee, maybe if you suggest a 35% increase, I will support you — because it will affect my pay too,” the President added.
