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Mrs Abena Osei-Asare (2nd left), Deputy Minister of Finance, speaking at the inauguration. Picture: Maxwell Ocloo
Mrs Abena Osei-Asare (2nd left), Deputy Minister of Finance, speaking at the inauguration. Picture: Maxwell Ocloo

Committee to review national pay system inaugurated

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has set up an advisory committee to review the national pay system and make recommendations to government for the improvement of the system to make it more robust.

The committee is expected to present its reports containing its recommendations to government in three months, beginning from the day it was inaugurated.

The group appointed to review the national pay system is made up of government representatives, representatives of organised labour, the Ghana Employers Association, the Fair Wages and Salary Commission, the Ghana Statistical Service and the Ministry of Finance.

Inauguration

Inaugurating the committee in Accra last Tuesday, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, said the committee’s report would enlighten the government’s policy decision.

“Your report will be considered in determining the minimum wage for 2019, as well as base pay and so I urge you to work within schedule since you don’t have the luxury of time,” he said.

He said the establishment of the committee was in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision of rewarding workers well for work done, adding that “he is, therefore, waiting for your report to make decisions”.

Mr Awuah said the move was also to commence a national dialogue on the pay system to ensure that the concerns of all stakeholders were addressed eventually.

Mandate

The mandate of the advisory committee includes reviewing and linking the pay system to productivity, reviewing the current system to ensure that people were rewarded adequately for the work they did and not looking at just increases in productivity.

It is also to review the country's pay system in relation to international best practices, which the local system could be adapted to and advise the government accordingly.

The committee is also expected to examine the sustainability of the current pay system and make recommendations on how the system could be improved.

Furthermore, it is to review the sustainability of the current pension schemes, their reported inconsistencies and exemptions and how they could be improved to the benefit of both government and labour.

In a contribution, a Deputy Minister of Finance, Ms Abena Osei Asare, said more than 50 per cent of national revenue went into compensations, requiring that a more robust and sustainable pay system was established to offset the drop offs.

The Chairman of the committee, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey, expressed his gratitude to the sector minister for the confidence reposed in the members of the committee and pledged that they would bring their varied expertise to the task assigned them and work hard to deliver as was expected of them.

Writer’s email: Doreen.andoh
@graphic.com.gh

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