Gov't wage bill now over 100%

Government has accrued over one hundred percent increment in wage bill on emolument for public sector workers following the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure two years ago.

According to the Director in charge of Grievances, Negotiation and Collective Bargaining at the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Mr Cornelius Yawson, a total of GHC5.6 billion was accumulated by government in the last two years against a previous amount of GHC2.9 billion before the implementation of the SSSS.

At the moment, he said, about 99.2 per cent of workers have been migrated unto the pay policy. The remaining one per cent, he said were workers in the education, research and regulatory institutions.

Mr Yawson who made this known on e.tv Ghana’s morning show, Awake, noted that the migration has been smooth except for some people who have agitated against their salary grading.

He explained that, these grievances are as a result of the misunderstandings with regards to salary grading and job evaluation.

“Those people who are complaining are people who don’t understand how the system works and are therefore comparing themselves with other institutions,” he stated.

Clarifying issues regarding how the grading system is done, the Director in charge of Salary Grading and Job Evaluation, Mrs Eva Addo said “one’s qualification doesn’t necessarily mean you will placed on a high salary grade.”

She explained that people are placed on a particular salary grade depending on the minimum job requirements and specifications.

“If you have a Master’s Degree and the job requires a WASSCE holder, then you will be placed on that grade because the minimum job requirement is WASSCE qualification,” she explained.

She said in situations where people are placed on a lower salary due to the job requirements, they are compensated by performance appraisals.

According to Mrs Addo, some private sector institutions have approached the FWSC to discuss placing their workers on the pay policy.

However, she noted that the private sector can make use of the SSSS when their objectives are in lieu with government’s objectives.

“Government’s objective is to attract and retain critical skills needed on the job market. So if their objectives are the same then there will be no problem. But where objectives differ, then it becomes the problem.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has announced that, payment of the 2012 Single Spine Salary increase of 18 per cent would commence in May 2012. In addition, the 2012 salary arrears for April would be paid in July; while all other earlier payment schedules relating to the 2012 Single Spine salaries remain the same.

Jasmine Arku / etvghana.com

 

Do you feel you've been placed on the right salary grade? Have you analysed your job requirements and qualification? Are you satisfied with the explanations from the FWSC?