FWSC assures Parliament of July deadline of SSPP

Accra, May 27, GNA - Mr George Smith-Graham Chief Executive officer (CEO) of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on Thursday said the commission would meet its deadline in the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Pay Policy (SSPP).

"We are on track with the implementation and will surely meet the July deadline," he said. Mr Smith- Graham gave the assurance in Accra at a forum organised by the FWSC for members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment and State Enterprises.

It was aimed at deepening the knowledge of the committee on the current state of the implementation process of the SSPP. SSPP is being introduced to promote equity and fairness in public sector salary administration.

Mr Smith-Graham said the import of the policy was to attract and retain the highly skilled people in the public service. He said it would assist the public sector to compete favourably with the private sector in attracting highly skilled labour. Mr Smith-Graham said 103 salary structures have been fused into one vertical structure that would enable government to reward employees in accordance with the principle of equal pay for equal work. He said SSPP did not necessarily mean a universal increase in the salaries of employees but those whose salaries were already high might not attract salary increase. He said differences in salaries apart from the base salary would be determined by the internal relativity negotiated between government and Organized Labour.

Mr Smith-Graham said agitations from Ghana Medical Association, Ghana National Association Teachers, Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers and other interests groups fighting for better conditions for members under the SSPP was a challenge facing the commission. He said sustainability of SSPP was another challenge in terms of regular payment of salaries.

Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Member of the committee called on FWSC to establish grievances committees to handle complains from organised labour to avoid labour unrest. Mr Prince Jocob Hayibor Chairman of the committee said despites the problems facing the implementation process of the SSPP it would surely be implemented. 27 May 10