The government and organised labour have agreed to a 9 percent increase in total remuneration for public sector workers in 2027, followed by a 10 percent across-the-board increase in base pay in 2028.
The two-year agreement was reached through negotiations under the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee, with provisions to address inequalities in allowances and improve fairness in public sector remuneration.
Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, said the 2027 adjustment would comprise an 8 per cent increase in base pay and an additional one per cent provision to address disparities in conditions of service.
For 2028, the parties have agreed on a 10 percent increase in base pay.
Mr Ansah explained that the additional one percent provision for 2027 was intended to tackle existing distortions in public sector allowances and promote greater fairness in the distribution of remuneration.
He said particular attention would be given to lower-paid and vulnerable workers, whose earnings and benefits often leave them more exposed to rising living costs.
“Beyond the percentage increases, fairness in the allowances remains a central concern. The additional one per cent provision is intended to help address existing distortions and inequalities in conditions of service, with particular attention to protecting lower-paid and vulnerable workers,” he said.
The TUC Secretary-General acknowledged that the agreement might fall short of some workers’ expectations but maintained that it represented progress towards safeguarding their purchasing power.
“This agreement may not meet every expectation. It represents progress in our efforts to protect workers’ purchasing power,” he added.
He said organised labour and the government would continue collaborating throughout the two-year period to address longstanding inequalities in public sector pay administration.
The implementation of the agreement, he stressed, must be guided by fairness to ensure that workers across the public service benefit equitably from the adjustments.
Mr Ansah also highlighted the importance of addressing remuneration disparities as Ghana transitions from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to an Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC).
The transition is expected to shape the administration of public sector compensation, making fairness, consistency and the equitable treatment of workers important considerations in the management of salaries and allowances.
Source: businesspostonline
