Elvis Darko Compares Fuel Prices and Salary Increases Under Akufo-Addo and Mahama Governments

Managing Editor of News Centa, Elvis Darko, has criticised the economic record of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, comparing fuel prices and public sector salary adjustments under the current government with those recorded during former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s tenure.

Darko argued that Ghanaians enjoyed comparatively lower fuel prices and a higher public sector salary increase in 2024 under the Akufo-Addo administration, despite criticism from the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over inflation and the cost of living.

He contrasted this with the current administration’s reported 9 per cent salary adjustment, arguing that workers are receiving a smaller increase while facing higher fuel prices.

The comparison has reopened debate about the economic conditions inherited by the Mahama government, the cost of living and the extent to which public sector wage adjustments have kept pace with the financial pressures facing households.

Darko’s comparison centres on the difference between the 25 per cent adjustment to public sector base pay under Akufo-Addo in 2024 and the 9 per cent increase negotiated for public sector workers under Mahama for 2026.

Figures published by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission confirm that the 2024 adjustment began at 23 per cent from January to June before being revised to 25 per cent for July to December. The 9 per cent adjustment for 2026 was agreed between the government and Organised Labour in November 2025.

The discussion has also drawn attention to fuel prices, which have experienced considerable fluctuations under both administrations. In 2024, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers attributed increases at the pumps partly to the depreciation of the cedi against the US dollar. In 2026, higher international petroleum prices and currency movements have also contributed to increases in domestic fuel costs.

For Darko, the contrast raises questions about the economic pressures facing ordinary Ghanaians and whether current government policies are providing sufficient relief to workers and consumers.

However, the two salary adjustments were negotiated under different economic circumstances, and a comparison of their percentages alone does not establish which administration delivered greater improvements in workers’ purchasing power. Similarly, fuel prices need to be compared over specific pricing periods rather than treated as fixed figures throughout either government’s tenure.

His remarks nevertheless add to the wider debate over the cost of living, public sector remuneration and the economic performance of the Akufo-Addo and Mahama administrations.

As Ghanaians continue to contend with household expenses, the central question remains whether salary increases can adequately protect workers’ incomes against rising costs of fuel, transportation, food and other essential goods.

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