Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has expressed strong opposition to the recent 10% increase in base pay for public sector workers, calling it inadequate and disappointing.

The announcement follows the conclusion of negotiations by the Tripartite Committee, which formalized the salary adjustment agreement for 2025.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Afenyo-Markin criticized the government’s decision, comparing it unfavorably to previous increments under former President Akufo-Addo’s administration.

"In 2017, public sector workers enjoyed 12 and a half percent increment; 2018, 11%; 2020, 15%; 2021, there was a 4% plus interim premium of 15%; 2022 there was 15% COLA on base salary; 2023, 30%; 2024, 23% between January and June; and then July to December was 25%. We have just heard a paltry increment of 10%," he said during a parliamentary session on February 21.

He urged the government to reconsider the increase, emphasizing that public sector workers have legitimate expectations of better treatment.

"The leader of government business must take note of this and inform His Excellency, the President that these are the numbers he came to meet. The ordinary Ghanaian worker has a higher expectation. In this 133, 24-hour Reset economy. They have a legitimate expectation that President Mahama, if he cannot match it, will do better. Mr Speaker, the 10% is unacceptable," Afenyo-Markin added.

In defense of the government’s decision, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga justified the increment, citing the challenging economic environment inherited from the previous administration.

He also highlighted that organized labour had accepted the increase, demonstrating their trust in the government's leadership.

"At the end of the negotiations, the workers of this country, led by their leaders, the union leaders, happily and gladly accepted the 10% increase. Accepting 10% as against 25% or 12% or 13% is a vote of confidence in the leader because they are confident that President John Dramani Mahama, when he collects the public taxes, will not be flying aircraft and bathing in the air, that he will not be engaging in wasteful spending," Ayariga stated.