CIVIL SERVANTS BATTLE GOV`T

…Over Single Spine Pay Policy
…Calls for immediate review
Posted: The Chronicle | Thursday, December 03, 2009

By Charles Takyi - Boadu

The Civil and Local Government Association - Ghana (CLOGSAG), have started raising issues with the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) which is set to take off in January next year. The group claims that its recommendations were not incorporated into the final report, which led to the issuance of a white paper on the policy by the government.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday, Vice President of the Association, Tennyson Foli said they realized certain anomalies in the policy document, as a result of which they made recommendations for changes to be made into issues, including the entry point of University graduates into the Civil Service.

The Association claimed that though government promised to incorporate their concerns into the policy document at a stakeholder’s forum at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra, it failed to do so in the final report.

The Vice President of the Association raised issues with certain provisions in the policy document which discriminate against University graduates who enter the Civil Service.

According to him, these graduates are graded lower that their colleagues in other sectors of the economy, though they have the same qualification.

Mr. Foli also talked about the situation where Directors working in the capital city are paid higher salaries than their colleagues in the regional capital. These, according to him, are some of the anomalies that government has failed to rectify.

In its present state, the association said it would not accept the Single Spine Pay Policy since it does not address their concerns.

Meanwhile, the technical committee of the Association has reconvened to examine the white paper, whilst the national executive committee is scheduled to meet from 10th-12th December 2009, to take a firm decision on the issue.

It has thus enjoined all members of CLOGSAG to remain calm and continue to have confidence in the executives, since they were ready to fight their cause whilst assuring them that “the Association shall not accept any policy that will disadvantage them.”

A government statement issued on Thursday November 26, 2009, and signed by Information Minister Zita Okaikoi, said the Single Spine Pay Policy has been given Executive approval of the President, John Atta Mills.

The White Paper confirmed government’s promise to commence the implementation of the policy from January 2010.

Mrs. Zita Okaikoi explained that the White Paper details government’s plans for the implementation of the new pay policy for the Public Services, which aims at addressing disparities, distortions and restoring equity in the pay structure. “The implementation would, however, be in phases over a five-year period starting from January. Because we noted that there are some outstanding issues, the White Paper gives a six-month period, during which challenges would be tackled” the Minister said.

Furthermore, the Information Minister noted that the issuance of the White Paper and scheduled commencement of the policy in January next year further demonstrate government’s commitment to the welfare of the worker and “an affirmation of the communiqué adopted at the May 2009 Consultative workshop at GIMPA.”

Government stated that it was looking forward to equity and fairness in the country’s pay arrangement as it works with all the social partners in the implementation process.