The decision to increase base pay in the midst of economic challenges has sparked debate, but Minister for Creative Arts and MP for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, insists it was the right move.
She has fired back at former Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam, who questioned the decision despite accusing the current administration of inheriting a struggling economy.
“You should be thanking H.E. John Dramani Mahama,” she said, emphasizing that the pay rise was a tough but necessary choice.
“You should know that a single decision to increase the base pay in a fragile economy was definitely going to have a devastating effect on our economy in the future,” she added.
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Her response comes after Amin Adam, in a Facebook post, criticized the NDC government’s decision to raise salaries while also claiming that the economy had been “criminally mishandled.”
However, Gomashie dismissed his concerns, insisting that the government was prioritizing workers despite economic hardships.
“Ghanaians are wise and discerning,” she stated, suggesting that the public understands the complexities of economic management and will not be swayed by selective criticisms.
Amin Adam has questioned President Mahama’s statements about the economy being criminally mismanaged under the previous administration.
He argued that if the economy was as bad as described, it wouldn’t have been possible to afford significant base pay increases while maintaining decent fiscal deficits.
“Two questions for the government! How could an economy described as ‘criminally mishandled’ afford increases in the base pay for public sector workers by 30% in 2023; 23% from Jan – June 2024; and 25% from July – December 2024, and still post decent fiscal deficits?” Amin Anta quizzed.
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