Sekondi Prison Officers demonstrate against SSSS

Sekondi, Sept. 16, GNA - Prison Officers at the Sekondi Central Prison on Wednesday demonstrated against what they described as disparities in the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) at Sekondi. The officers, numbering over 100 wearing red bands, besieged the entrance of the Sekondi Central Prisons, chanting war songs to express their frustrations over the new pay policy, which Government has started implementing.

A Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) set up by an Act of Parliament, is the autonomous body responsible for the public sector job evaluation and the implementation of the SSSS.

Some of the placards the Prison Officers carried read: "Pay us equally", "Be Fair with Prison Officers" and "Why are you cheating us". A prison officer, who spoke with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity, said under the SSSS, a constable in the Police Service received over GH¢700 but a Prison Officer on the same rank was paid a little over GH¢500, which according to him, amounts to injustice and unfair treatment by the Government. He called on the Commission to take a second look at the modalities for ranking public servants to avoid confusion.