2 EC deputies leave, former CJ exits Council of State
The government has announced the resignation of former Chief Justice, Sophia A.B. Akuffo, from the Council of State, alongside changes at the Electoral Commission (EC), while also providing clarity on presidential staff numbers, firmly rejecting claims of salary increases for political appointees.
Dr Bossman Asare has submitted a letter announcing his resignation as Deputy Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, effective July 31, 2026, while another Deputy Chairperson, Samuel Tettey, has retired.
Justice Akuffo submitted her resignation from the Council of State in September 2025 without stating any reason, the Minister of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesman, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed at a briefing yesterday.
President John Dramani Mahama initially delayed accepting the resignation at the request of the Council of State, which sought to engage her to determine whether her concerns could be addressed.
Following consultations, the council informed the President that the resignation could be accepted.
The President has formally accepted her resignation, and she is no longer a member of the Council of State.
Processes are now underway to appoint her replacement.
Changes at EC
Dr Asare, who was appointed to the EC in 2018, stated that his reason for resigning from the EC was to return to academia at the University of Ghana.
He thanked the President and the people of Ghana for the opportunity to serve.
The Council of State is already considering a nominee to replace Mr Tettey, who was appointed to the position in August 2018, with a replacement expected also for Dr Asare.
The changes at the EC, particularly Dr Asare’s resignation, come even after petitions for the removal of key personalities at the commission could not pass the basic threshold for their removal, per the judgment of the Chief Justice.
Several petitions were filed for the removal of the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, and her two deputies late last year, but in February this year, government announced that the Chief Justice had dismissed the petitions after establishing no prima facie case against the subjects of the petitions.
Presidential staff numbers
Turning to the composition of the Presidency, the government provided a detailed breakdown following the submission of the presidential staff list to Parliament as required by law.
Current staff at the Presidency comprise 233 political appointees and 575 civil or public servants, bringing the total to 808 staff.
By comparison, under the Akufo-Addo administration in 2024, there were 355 political appointees and 598 civil or public servants, totalling 953 staff.
The government argued that President Mahama had significantly reduced the number of political appointees.
It further indicated that current ministers and deputy ministers numbered just 58, which was below the promised cap of 60.
The government rejected as false reports the claims that President Mahama had increased salaries of presidential appointees.
Officials explained that salaries of Article 71 office holders were determined by an independent committee, not the President, and that President Mahama had not established a new emoluments committee.
The current salary structures, it said, were determined under former President Nana Akufo-Addo before he left office in January 2025, and, therefore, the current government could not be blamed for the current salary levels.
Salary structure
The Presidential Spokesperson said presidential staff salaries were linked to a grading system known as “award points”, a system that had existed under several administrations, including those of Rawlings, Kufuor, Mills, Mahama, and Akufo-Addo.
Various emoluments committees over the years increased the grading levels for positions such as Chief of Staff.
The government stressed that President Mahama’s administration was using the salary structure it inherited.
Top-up payments clarified
The government also addressed top-up payments, explaining that former ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, and presidential staff from the Akufo-Addo administration had received salary arrears and top-up payments.
These payments, it said, arose from salary adjustments approved by the previous emoluments committee.
The government said current office holders were receiving the same salary framework, and therefore, the claims that President Mahama increased salaries were “false propaganda”.
On the Constitution review proposals, the Presidential Spokesperson said President Mahama believed that the current system should change.
He therefore supports the creation of an independent body to determine salaries and conditions of service for all public officials.
Cabinet is currently reviewing constitutional reform proposals on the matter.
