Public servants to be placed on single pay scale

Accra, May 17, GNA - Salaries of public servants are to be placed on single pay scale in August 2007 to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Public Sector Reform, said on Wednesday.

He said allowances and benefits were under review to enable government to take decisions on the best way to arrive at a consolidated pay for public servants.

"It is only when consolidation of basic pay and various non-cash benefits and allowances occur, that we can reach the intended destination of pay equity in the public services," he said. Dr Nduom was speaking at the 10th Annual Lecture of the Public Services Commission in Accra on the theme: "Reforming the Public Service for Efficient Service delivery: The Role of Pay and Compensation." Dr Nduom said review of current placements of jobs and base salaries into the single pay scale had revealed that there were disparities in the positions and pay of public servants. He said the establishment of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would help to ensure that international labour market standards were adhered to. It would also eliminate ad-hoc wage and salary adjustments. Dr Nduom said the issue of pay was a matter of importance and the proposed comprehensive payroll structure would help address the perceived inequities in the remuneration of people with the same qualifications and job demands.

Mr Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, said unemployment and unfair wages of workers were some of the major problems affecting productivity in the country. He said the public service was capable of achieving efficiency and effectiveness when well compensated. "It is time to find lasting solution to this problem," he added.

Mr Saddique said previous attempts by successive governments to address the issue of salaries of public servants had not achieved the desired result and it was important for government to learn from it. Dr Anthony Baah, Head of Research, Trades Union Congress, said it was important for government to ensure equitable distribution of salaries of public servants to help ensure equity and fairness. He said it was important for government to look at why public servants always agitated for pay rise despite recent increments and expressed the hope that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would take that into consideration.

Dr Baah called on government to ensure a comprehensive payroll structure to help eliminate unfair wage disparities that existed in the public service.