July 1 is commencement date for Single Spine

Accra, June 28, GNA - Government on Monday affirmed Thursday, July 1, 2010 as definitive commencement date for the implementation of Single Spin Salary Structure (SSSS) for public sector workers. "The Government of President John Evans Atta Mills is committed to roll the SSSS without any delay or intention of postponement beyond July 1 in spite of the minor objections and concerns raised by fraction of labour," Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare told newsmen in Accra.

The new Pay Policy seeks to ensure fairness, equity and transparency in government salary administration.

The Minister explained that SSSS was not an event but a process, stressing that Government had exhibited good faith in engaging labour throughout the progression for the take-off. Mr. Mensah assured public sector workers that nobody would be disadvantage in the process, everybody would smile, "however any human error that would be noticed in the process would be corrected immediately before the next pay day".

He said challenges were bound to crop up with any new policy and the challenges with the new salary policy could not be completely addressed before its implementation.

Responding to questions on the posture of Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), Mr Mensah noted that: "even though we are accommodating all interested parties we must also avoid a situation where a fraction of labour would hold us hostage. There are about 470,000 public sector workers who are waiting for the take-off as against CLOGSAG membership of 43,000".

He said government recognised and appreciated the rights of labour unions, associations and institutions to collective bargaining negotiations under laws of the country adding that government, would not interfere in the negotiating rights of labour unions but it would also not allow fraction of labour to mislead the populace.

Mr Raphael Kwasi Tufuor, Acting Director of Accountant General's Department, noted that the Department had learnt its lessons from the operational challenges of the Ghana Universal Salary Structure (GUSS) in 1999 and would ensure that SSSS took off with minimum hitches. He said the major problem with GUSS was the "shock syndrome," as workers were not given the opportunity to understand and scrutinise their pay slip before the full implementation. most workers were shocked when they saw their pay slip at the end of the month". 28 June 10