Public Service Workers to Get 9% Remuneration Increase in 2027 and 10% Base Pay Rise in 2028
The agreement establishes a remuneration framework covering January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028. It also sets out arrangements for reviewing certain allowances, protecting base pay against a specified inflation risk and managing the proposed transition from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC).
The document was signed by Dr George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive of the FWSC, and Bro Joshua Ansah, Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The signing took place in the presence of Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and Thomas T. Musah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
For teachers and other public service workers, the agreement sets out the remuneration arrangements for the next two years. However, the document distinguishes between the 2027 increase in total remuneration and the 2028 increase in base pay, which should not be treated as identical adjustments.
What the 2027 public service remuneration agreement provides
Under the agreement, total remuneration is scheduled to increase by 9% from January 1, 2027. Of this increase, eight percentage points are allocated to an across-the-board increase in base pay, while one percentage point is earmarked for Conditions of Service.
This distinction matters because the 9% figure covers total remuneration, not base pay alone. The agreement therefore does not describe the entire 2027 adjustment as a 9% increase in base salary.
The document identifies the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) as the negotiating body through which the parties concluded the 2027 and 2028 remuneration arrangements.
Workers to receive a 10% base pay increase in 2028
For 2028, the agreement provides for a 10% increase across the board in base pay, effective January 1, 2028. The adjustment will be calculated using the applicable base pay as of December 31, 2027.
Unlike the 2027 provision, which specifies a 9% increase in total remuneration divided between base pay and Conditions of Service, the 2028 provision expressly refers to a 10% increase in base pay.
The two figures consequently refer to different remuneration measures. Workers should not interpret the 2027 and 2028 percentages as increases calculated on exactly the same basis.
Agreement includes an inflation-related review mechanism
The agreement also establishes a provision for reviewing the 2028 base pay if inflation exceeds a specified threshold.
According to the document, the parties agreed on the 2028 base pay after considering current inflation of 5.2% and the government’s inflation projection of 8% plus 2% for both 2027 and 2028.
It further states that if year-on-year inflation for December 2027 overshoots the midpoint projection of 8% by a factor of two, the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee will reconvene to review the 2028 base pay.
The provision creates a defined basis for reopening discussions under the stated inflation condition. It does not, however, specify an automatic additional salary increase if the condition is met. Instead, it provides for the negotiating committee to reconvene and review the 2028 base pay.
Allowances to be reviewed before the IPEC transition
Beyond salary adjustments, the agreement provides for a review of selected allowances during the transitional period leading to the proposed implementation of IPEC.
The stated objective is to address distortions in the existing compensation arrangements before the new institutional framework is implemented.
This provision is relevant to workers whose remuneration includes allowances in addition to base pay. However, the agreement does not identify the specific allowances to be reviewed, give revised rates or provide a detailed timetable for completing the review.
The document therefore establishes a commitment to examine some allowances without confirming the final outcome of that exercise.
Government commits to transition from FWSC to IPEC
The agreement states that the Government will pursue the lawful and orderly transition from FWSC to IPEC. The process is expected to involve a proposed legislative framework, institutional design and consultations with stakeholders.
It also identifies several policy and administrative areas connected to the transition, including a National Emoluments Policy, National Negotiations Policy and a performance- and productivity-linked pay framework.
Operational readiness and stakeholder consultations are also included in the commitments.
The agreement provides that Organised Labour will be consulted quarterly on reforms affecting workers. It further states that FWSC and other existing bodies will retain their lawful functions until any transfer of authority takes legal effect.
These provisions indicate that the transition is intended to follow an established legal and institutional process rather than take effect solely through the signing of the remuneration agreement.
The document does not specify a final date for completing the transition or confirm that IPEC has already assumed the functions of FWSC.
Industrial harmony and dispute resolution
The parties have also committed to constructive dialogue and the peaceful resolution of disputes that may arise during implementation of the agreement.
The document states that negotiations on public service remuneration for 2027 and 2028 have been settled by the agreement. It nevertheless preserves established negotiation and lawful dispute-resolution procedures for handling disagreements that may arise during implementation.
This means the agreement provides a framework for the two-year remuneration period while recognising that questions about its implementation may still require discussion between the parties.
What the agreement means for teachers and other public service workers
The presence of GNAT General Secretary Thomas T. Musah at the signing is notable for education stakeholders, while the agreement’s subject is public service remuneration rather than an education-specific salary arrangement.
The document provides the overall remuneration terms for the parties to the agreement, including the 2027 and 2028 adjustments. It does not provide a separate salary table for teachers, identify individual teacher salary levels or calculate how much a particular worker will receive in cedis.
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Actual monetary changes for individual workers cannot be determined from the percentage figures alone without the relevant base pay and applicable Conditions of Service information.
Teachers and other public service workers should therefore distinguish between the agreed percentages and any later individual salary calculations or implementation instructions. The supplied agreement does not include those individual calculations.
What happens next?
The remuneration framework is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, and end on December 31, 2028.
During this period, the agreement provides for the implementation of the specified remuneration adjustments, the review of selected allowances and continued work on the proposed transition from FWSC to IPEC. Organised Labour is also to be consulted quarterly on reforms affecting workers.
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The agreement’s inflation-related provision creates a further point for review: if the stated condition involving December 2027 inflation is met, the PSJSNC is to reconvene to review the 2028 base pay.
The document establishes the commitments and procedures, but further implementation details would be needed to determine individual salary outcomes, the specific allowances affected and the timetable for the institutional transition.
