Former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey
Former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, has dismissed public assumptions that government officials live lavishly off taxpayers’ money.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM and monitored by GhanaWeb on Sunday, May 11, 2025, he said the public perception of political officeholders is often misguided.
“Sometimes the perception the public has about government appointees isn’t entirely accurate. For instance, when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo reduced our salaries, people didn’t believe it. But it’s true. My salary was reduced by 30%, and after taxes and deductions, I was taking home just about 40% of the original salary. That came to a little below GH₵12,000″, he stated.
He explained that his take-home pay was significantly reduced due to statutory deductions.
“After the 25% income tax and 5% SSNIT contributions, my actual take-home was far lower than people assume,” he said.
He added that many did not believe the reductions were real, despite public announcements from the Presidency.
“Anytime I mention it, people think I’m lying. But the President made this decision public. I had been in office for about four or five months when the salary reduction directive came, and I continued receiving the reduced amount for three years until I left”, he indicated.
Okraku Mantey emphasised that he was not making these disclosures to complain but to draw attention to the commitment and sacrifices made by some public officials.
“I’m sharing this so people know the kind of sacrifices some of us made in service. Whether they believe it or not, it’s the truth”, he added.
JKB/EB
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