We will implement single spine

Accra, Ghana - Vice President John Mahama on Thursday assured labour unions, some of whom are showing increasing agitation over the delay in implementing the single spine pay policy that government remains firmly committed to putting the policy into action. Addressing workers unions and employers at a consultative workshop on the policy in Accra, Vice President Mahama re-echoed the willingness of government to fully implement the policy aimed at removing distortions in public sector wages, to reflect constitutional requirements of equity and equal pay for work of equal worth.

He said government would work assiduously towards "streaming public sector wages with the view to boosting productivity and towards paying decent wages to the working people" with the ultimate goal of making the public sector more "productive, effective and efficient". "This is a statement of fact and my presence here is to allay your fears and remove any cloud of doubt from the minds of public sector employees and their leadership about government's commitment towards ensuring the implementation of the single spine pay policy," he added. The two-day meeting is expected to smoothen grey areas which are believed to have stalled the implementation of the policy, billed by the largest bloc of workers union, the Ghana Trades Union Congress as critical in giving public sector workers a decent wage. Such a move, would pave way for the designing of a 'road map' to guide the implementation of the policy. Vice President Mahama charged the participants to help address major areas of contention and arrive at a consensus on the determination of the base pay and the standardization of allowances and other conditions of service.