Mr Frank Adjei-Worlanyo, Communications Officer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Akan Constituency, has described the government’s announcement of a nine per cent base pay increase for public sector workers for the 2026 financial year as a betrayal of workers’ trust.
He said the adjustment failed to meet the expectations of workers and did not reflect the prevailing cost of living pressures facing many Ghanaians.
The agreement, concluded on Sunday, November 9, 2025, between the Government and organised labour, takes effect from January 2026.
Mr Adjei-Worlanyo, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kadjebi in the Oti Region, noted that the nine per cent increment was the lowest in almost a decade and represented a sharp decline from the 25 per cent adjustment granted in 2024.
He said the new rate was a significant reduction compared to increments under the previous NPP administration, which, despite facing economic challenges, managed to secure higher pay increases for workers, including during the COVID-19 period.
According to him, the National Democratic Congress government’s decision marked a step backward in public sector remuneration and had weakened workers’ confidence in the administration, which they believed would champion their welfare.
“The workforce that voted for change is now facing disappointment,” he said, adding that many workers had expected a government more responsive to their needs.
Government officials have defended the nine per cent increment, citing a decline in inflation, which currently stands at 8.1 per cent as of October 2025.
They say the single-digit inflation provides a basis for a more conservative wage policy aimed at sustaining economic stability.
However, Mr Adjei-Worlanyo and some labour experts argue that this explanation does not reflect the lived realities of public sector workers.
They contend that although inflation had slowed, the prices of goods and services continue to rise, further eroding workers’ purchasing power.
“Single-digit inflation does not mean the cost of living is falling,” one union leader observed.
“The cumulative effect of past inflationary pressures has already reduced the value of our salaries. A nine per cent increase is insufficient to make up for lost ground.”
Many public sector workers have expressed disappointment, saying the current administration, which campaigned as a pro-labour government, had failed to deliver on its promise of improved welfare and working conditions.
Many have described the new pay adjustment as “a disappointment that does not match the high hopes of the working class.”
Although the government had assured that it would continue to engage with labour unions on outstanding conditions of service, workers insist that immediate steps must be taken to address their economic challenges.
Observers say the 2026 base pay agreement should prompt the government to review its wage policies to ensure that future adjustments aligned more closely with the cost of living and the expectations of the workforce.
GNA
