Former President John Dramani Mahama has called for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s pension system, citing ongoing challenges and the need to ensure equity and satisfaction for all stakeholders.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr. Mahama acknowledged that, despite previous reforms, the system still faces significant issues.
“With regard to pensions, I’ll be meeting the TUC and organised labour soon. During the May Day celebrations, concerns were raised about the current restructured pension system. There are still various difficulties, and I suggested we hold a review conference,” he said.
Mr. Mahama stressed that the time has come to assess the effectiveness of past reforms and identify necessary adjustments.
“It’s been several years since the pension reforms were introduced. I believe a review is overdue to evaluate what is working and what needs improvement so we can ensure that the system is fair and satisfactory to all.”
Economist and founding member of the Teachers’ Fund, Mr. Kwame Pianim, who was present at the meeting, revisited a longstanding promise to provide 10,000 housing units for teachers. He expressed hope that this pledge would finally be fulfilled.
“One of the best jobs one can have is being a teacher, yet they remain underpaid in our country,” Mr. Pianim said. “But with you as a listening president, I am hopeful. When they said, ‘Let’s go and speak with the president,’ I said, with this president, if he makes a promise, he will deliver.”
In response, President Mahama proposed the establishment of a government-backed counterpart fund to complement the Teachers’ Fund and support the development of affordable housing for educators.
“We would work with you to design and build the houses together. What is often branded as ‘affordable housing’ in Ghana ends up catering to the affluent rather than the low-income earners,” he said. “I prefer the term ‘low-cost housing,’ and we can explore including such a fund in the national budget to enable teachers to own homes.”
On education governance, Mr. Mahama also expressed concern about the diminishing role of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in school management. He called for their full reintegration into the educational framework.
“I believe PTA participation must be fully restored. They should collaborate with teachers and school administrations to ensure that our schools are well-managed and that teaching and learning yield positive outcomes,” he stated.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Mahama attended the 2025 Ghana Horticulture Expo, where he announced that 24-hour operations at the Tema and Takoradi ports would commence on July 1.
“I’m pleased to announce that on July 1st, the 24-hour initiative policy will take effect. It will provide a framework for continuous production, processing, and logistics within the horticulture sector,” he said.
Mr. Mahama clarified that the policy goes beyond extended working hours. “It includes investments in infrastructure, energy, security, transportation, and digital platforms that will support round-the-clock agro-industrial activity.”
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to expanding high-value agricultural exports as a means to stabilize the cedi.
“We are pursuing this agenda boldly and deliberately, and we will work closely with our exporters to achieve this goal.”
Credit: Maxwell Agbagba
