Renowned US-based Ghanaian lawyer and scholar, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar, has shared some details of the salaries of heads of Independent Governance Bodies (IGBs), including the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) and the Auditor-General’s Department.
The details showed that the salaries of the Chairperson of the EC, the Auditor-General, the Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and other IGB heads increased by more than 80% between 2020 and 2024.
The heads of the IGBs were earning over GH¢34,000 per month as salary in 2020. This increased by 4% to about GH¢36,000 in 2021.
In 2022, their salaries saw a further increase to over GH¢38,000, which then spiked to GH¢50,000 in 2023, accounting for an increase of about 30%.
The EC boss and the other heads of the IGBs saw their salaries increase again by about 23%, to over GH¢61,000 in 2024. Their salaries went up again by about 2% to over GH¢62,000 in 2024.
Kwaku Azar criticised the rate at which the salaries of the heads of the IGBs increased.
He said that while the heads of the independent bodies were enjoying salary increases, ordinary Ghanaians saw no growth in their wages during the same period.
“Total increase from 2020 to 2024? About 81%. Now, compare that to: Cedi depreciation (2020–2024): ~50–60%; Real wage growth: basically zero or negative for many Ghanaians; Debt restructuring for ordinary citizens: haircuts on bonds, pensions, and savings.
“While citizens and pensioners were forced to ‘share the burden’ and ‘tighten belts,’ IGBs and surely other Article 71 beneficiaries were quietly awarded backdated raises,” he wrote in a post shared on Facebook on 20 May, 2025.
“They get salary arrears, we get austerity. They get ‘adjusted emoluments’, we get emergency levies,” he added.
The other Independent Governance Bodies in Ghana include the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Public Services Commission (PSC), the National Media Commission (NMC), the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the Lands Commission, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
The other Independent Governance Bodies in Ghana include the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Public Services Commission (PSC), the National Media Commission (NMC), the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the Lands Commission, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Read Azar’s full post below:
GOGO has sighted a document approving 2021-2024 salaries for chairpersons and members of Independent Governance Bodies (IGBs).
GOGO can confirm that the Auditor-General and other IGB heads were “earning” ₵34,397 monthly in 2020, rising to ₵62,202.53 by Dec 2024.
Let’s take a closer look. The Table below shows salary by year and year on year increase. In 2024, there is an adjustment for January to June (a) and July to December (b).
2020 ₵ 34,397.00 —
2021 ₵ 35,772.88 4.0%
2022 ₵ 38,276.98 7.0%
2023 ₵ 49,760.08 30.0%
2024a ₵ 61,204.89 23.0%
2024b ₵ 62,202.53 1.6%
Total increase from 2020 to 2024b? About 81%.
Now compare that to:
• Cedi depreciation (2020–2024): ~50–60%
• Real wage growth: Basically zero or negative for many Ghanaians.
• Debt restructuring for ordinary citizens: Haircuts on bonds, pensions, and savings.
While citizens and pensioners were forced to “share the burden” and “tighten belts,” IGBs and surely other Article 71 beneficiaries were quietly awarded backdated raises.
They get salary arrears. We get austerity.
They get “adjusted emoluments.” We get emergency levies.
Note that the Table reports salaries only. The facilities/privileges/benefits for Chairpersons and Members of the IGBs have been approved, but not immediately available to GOGO.
And oh—salary for 2025? To be determined in 2029. Because Article 71 emoluments move at the speed of … hindsight.
The Fofie Committee has finished us.
Da Yie!
