Committee to implement decisions on SSPP

Mr Haruna Iddrissu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, on Friday inaugurated an 11-member committee, to see to the implementation of decisions that were taken at the forum on sustaining the single spine pay policy held in Takoradi from 7 to 9 May.

Chaired by Mr George Smith Graham, Chief Executive of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP), the committee is expected to determine the national daily minimum wage and public sector base pay by September, so that they could be incorporated into the 2016 national budget.

Made up of members selected from the office of the Civil Service, Ghana Employers Association, Imani Ghana, Controller and Accountants-General, University Teacher Association, Trades Union Congress, management development and productivity institute, Public Service Commission, National Labour Commission, public service reform secretariat, the members are also to take steps to commence negotiations for category two and three allowances at the public sector joint sector negotiation committee, and make sure that institutions budgeted for categories two and three allowances.

The Minister charged the team to organize a national productivity forum to determine strategies for enhancing productivity in the public services, and deepen social dialogue to minimize industrial unrest to the barest minimum.

The committee will also maximize revenue mobilization to support the huge government wage bill, to effect implementation of market premium to attract and retain the needed scarce but critical skills in the public service.

He said they were to tighten control measures to eliminate payroll fraud, develop the human resource management information systems with the public services commission as the lead Agency by October.

Another decision is for the Controller and Accountants General’s Department to continue with payroll reform initiatives with the collaboration of the Private sector.

The Committee is also to accelerate the process of weaning of suitable Agencies and the technical sub-committee must be empowered to expand the list of the potential agencies to be weaned off.

Mr Iddrissu noted that the Technical Committee must do an assessment of each of the identified institutions to determine the feasibility and timeline for the weaning off process.

Mr Graham said the committee would ensure that the decisions would be well implemented, adding that the Single Spine Pay policy had come to stay, and the committee was to see to see to how revenue could be generated to ensure sustainability.

He disclosed that negotiations for category two allowances would begin from next week Tuesday.