Reviewed Single Spine Pay Policy to be submitted to govt

The National Tripartite Committee is expected to receive the reviewed Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) soon from the nine-member committee tasked with its review.

The update on the SSPP review was made public by Mr. Benjamin Arthur, Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), during a press soiree held in Accra on Monday, 27th November 2024. According to him, the committee has successfully completed its work and will submit its recommendations and full report to the government for consideration and implementation.

The government, in an effort to improve the SSPP, mandated a nine-member committee led by Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Minister of Employment, Labour Relations, and Pensions, to review the policy and submit their findings to the National Tripartite Committee (NTC). The committee began its work in April 2022.

Mandate of the SSPP Review Committee

The review committee was tasked with:

1. Assessing the effectiveness of the SSPP in achieving its objectives.
2. Critically identifying challenges affecting SSPP implementation.
3. Linking public sector performance to pay under the SSPP, market premiums, and salary differentials.
4. Examining productivity, comparative private sector salary standards, and international salary benchmarks to ensure consistency in public sector pay.

The review became necessary due to labor unrest, particularly among workers in the education and health sectors, which raised concerns about pay disparities in these critical areas.

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Speaking at the press soiree, Mr. Arthur emphasized the importance of linking salaries to performance and assured the public that the committee’s approach would promote fairness and equality, avoiding purely theoretical practices. He also commended whistleblowers and workers’ unions in the education and health sectors for their contributions to uncovering irregularities within the public sector.

Mr. Arthur acknowledged the challenges faced by the commission in 2024, particularly due to the upcoming elections and the resolution of 14 industrial actions during the year. Despite these challenges, he disclosed that Ghana had saved GH¢345 million through a nationwide payroll monitoring exercise.

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Determination of Salaries Under SSPP

Mr. Cephas Amada, Director of Salary Administration at FWSC, explained that determining salaries under the SSPP involves several factors beyond qualifications. These include learning experience, job evaluation, grade structures, salary structures, and migration.

Dr. Baaba Anquandah, Director of Performance Management at FWSC, noted that the commission had sensitized nine institutions on linking pay to productivity. She further disclosed that the World Bank, in collaboration with the Ghana Statistical Service, is developing productivity indicators for Public Sector Organizations (PSOs), which will guide base pay negotiations for the next five years.

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The comprehensive review of the SSPP is expected to address lingering concerns and foster equitable and performance-based pay systems in the public sector. All public sector workers should look forward to the reviewed Single Spine Pay Policy, the full reports, and the recommendations from the committee.