Committee to Present Report on Review of Single Spine Pay Policy Soon

   A nine-member committee that has been reviewing the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) is set to submit its report to the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) in the near future. This announcement was made by Mr. Benjamin Arthur, the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), during a press soiree held in Accra on Monday. Mr. Arthur confirmed that the committee had completed its work and would soon present the findings to the government for consideration and potential implementation. The press soiree, under the theme “FWSC—Connecting with the Media,” aimed to update the public on the commission’s activities.

In April 2022, the government, under the leadership of Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and Pensions, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, inaugurated the nine-member committee tasked with reviewing the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP). The committee’s primary objective was to evaluate whether the SSPP had been effective in achieving its intended goals, identify challenges in its implementation, and address critical issues such as linking pay to performance, managing market premiums, and handling salary disparities in the public sector.

As part of the review, the committee also examined factors such as productivity, wage comparisons between the public and private sectors, and global salary benchmarks to ensure the public sector’s pay structure remains competitive. This review was prompted by growing labour unrest, particularly within the education and health sectors, where workers have raised concerns about the disparity in pay within the public service.

During his address, Mr. Arthur emphasized the FWSC’s commitment to ensuring that salaries are linked to performance. He reassured public sector workers that this approach would go beyond being a theoretical concept, aiming to promote fairness and equity in salary distribution. Reflecting on the commission’s previous achievements, Mr. Arthur highlighted how, in 2014, the FWSC successfully harmonized public service salaries and worked to resolve disparities, ensuring more equitable treatment across different sectors of the workforce.

Mr. Arthur also shared that the commission had completed and signed negotiations with 44 unions and institutions between January 2024 and the present. Seven institutions have already been successfully migrated to the new grade structure. He acknowledged the valuable role of whistleblowers in uncovering irregularities within the public sector and credited their contributions to the commission’s success. However, he also recognized the challenges that the FWSC faced, especially in 2024, an election year, which saw 14 industrial actions over public sector issues. Fortunately, these disputes have now been resolved.

Looking ahead, Mr. Arthur assured the public that the commission would continue engaging with unions and stakeholders to maintain peaceful labour relations. He also revealed that a nationwide payroll monitoring exercise had resulted in significant financial savings for the country, amounting to GH¢345 million.

Mr. Cephas Amada, Director of Salary Administration at the FWSC, elaborated on how salaries are determined under the Single Spine Pay Policy. He clarified that salary decisions are based on several factors, not just academic qualifications. These factors include job evaluation, learning experience, the development of grade structures, and migration, all of which play a role in determining fair and equitable pay for public sector employees.

Dr. Baaba Anquandah, Director of Performance Management at the FWSC, discussed the importance of linking pay to productivity. She revealed that the FWSC had sensitized nine institutions to the idea of tying salaries to performance. Additionally, she disclosed that the World Bank was collaborating with the Ghana Statistical Service to develop productivity indicators for Public Sector Organizations (PSOs). These indicators will be used to guide salary negotiations for the next five years, ensuring that pay is aligned with actual productivity and the changing demands of the public sector.

This comprehensive review of the Single Spine Pay Policy is expected to bring about much-needed reforms in the public sector, addressing long-standing issues related to pay disparities and performance-linked compensation. The upcoming submission of the committee’s report is a crucial step toward ensuring a fairer and more efficient public sector pay structure that rewards productivity and fosters transparency. As the committee prepares to submit its final report, stakeholders are hopeful that its recommendations will help create a more sustainable, equitable, and transparent system for public sector employees. This process aims to improve the efficiency of public service while promoting the welfare of workers across Ghana.