Member of Parliament for Assin South and former Deputy Education Minister, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, has strongly countered arguments made by senior presidential advisor on the economy, Seth Terkper, regarding the government’s recent 10% salary increment for public sector workers.

The disagreement arose after Mr Terkper attempted to justify the modest pay rise in a post on X, arguing that wage increases should be considered in relation to inflation trends.

In his post, Seth Terkper stated, “When inflation rises to a high 50% plus, a 20% plus wage rise is inevitable. When you ‘half’ inflation to about 20% plus & claim to have stabilised the economy for JM, it is not consistent to rubbish a 10% raise WITH A PROMISE.”

@SethTerkper By your misconceived analysis of pay rise equating to half of inflation, in 2023, workers would have been given a paltry 15% by JM (around half of 38.11% inflation recorded) instead of the whopping 30% pay hikes workers enjoyed under Akufo-Addo. In any case, for the… https://t.co/ZTS8jGLQcm

— John Ntim Fordjour MP (@NtimFordjour) February 23, 2025

His comment was aimed at defending President John Dramani Mahama’s administration against criticism that the salary increment was insufficient.

Ntim Fordjour, however, dismissed Mr Terkper’s reasoning, pointing out that his argument was both inaccurate and misleading. Responding directly to the post, the Assin South MP stated, “By your misconceived analysis of pay rise equating to half of inflation, in 2023, workers would have been given a paltry 15% by JM (around half of 38.11% inflation recorded) instead of the whopping 30% pay hikes workers enjoyed under Akufo-Addo.”

He also corrected Mr Terkper’s inflation figures, clarifying that “2023 inflation stood at 38.11%, not the ‘50% plus’ you misled your audience with.”

Fordjour further compared wage increments under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration to highlight disparities in Mahama’s offer. He noted that in 2024, despite inflation standing at 23.8%, public sector workers received a 23% salary increase from January to June and 25% from July to December under Nana Akufo-Addo.

He argued that under Terkper’s logic, “JDMahama would have thought workers deserved only 12% (half of what NPP offered). Workers deserve better than the paltry 10% JM gave them.”

His remarks reinforced his position that the government’s justification for the lower salary increment was flawed and that Ghanaian workers should receive more substantial wage adjustments.