A Professor of Law at the University of Cape Coast Law Faculty, Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson, has stressed the need for the government to address the salary disparities in the public sector.
Delivering a public lecture at Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences on the theme “A Regime for Public Sector Compensation; A Re-statement of the Concept”, Professor Bondzi-Simpson said public sector compensation is only a part of the numerous challenges and that a holistic exercise is necessary to reform the entire public sector.
Espousing on issues with public sector compensation, the law professor explained that intra-public sector compensation disparities result in reduced motivation by lesser-paid staff with equal qualifications and experience, it also results in moonlighting and migrations within the public sector: eg, CHRAJ to SFO (EOCO), police to OSP, medical schools to GHS. It again results in unattractive destinations, such as the GES lectureship moving to professional practice.
He added that disparities in compensation also lead to labour agitations, as often seen with education, health and security sectors.
The salary disparities in the public sector, he said, also result in an inter-service rivalry and attrition out of the public sector.
Professor Bondzi-Simpson mentioned that other issues in the public sector needing redress include: the size and establishment of public sector staff, contracting-out/outsourcing, recruitment and selection modalities, job descriptions and rationalisations, resources/logistics for effective work, distribution of personnel: geographic, services, performance assessment and progression/promotion.
He observed that there still exist issues with allowances, double payment, lop-sidedness, delayed or non-payment of agreed terms, as well as the status of public institutions that migrated or did not migrate to the Single Spine Salary Structure.
The law professor, Dr. Mac-Anthony Cobblah, summarises that, in 2016, the least paid public sector worker on the Single Spine earned GHC207.90 per month. This translates into a mere one per cent of MPs’ pay as approved.
The least paid public sector worker on the single spine would have to work for more than 7 and a half years in order to earn the one-month pay of the MP. The highest-paid public sector worker earned a monthly salary of GHC 4,325.20 in 2016. This translates into 22% of the MP’s monthly pay
The Professor said Article 70 officeholders get paid a chunk in arrears years after service. This, he said, creates hardships for the holders and also disaffection when the huge arrears, gratuities, and x-gratia benefits are eventually paid.
He recalled that from 1993 to 2024, several presidential emoluments committees were set up, beginning with Professor Miranda Greenstreet Report I for 1993-96 Prospective and Dr. Janet Ampadu-Fofie Report (2024) Retrospective. They were to investigate and provide information for the enhancement of the public sector, yet not much is realised in the public sector.
He said in February this year, His Excellency, the President John Dramani Mahama, announced the intention to set up an independent emoluments committee. The law Professor questioned whether the intention is to return to the Prices and Incomes Board.
The 1992 constitution Article 24 (1), states that “Every person has the right to work under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions, and shall receive pay for equal work without distinction of any kind” by this law, the Professor emphasized on the need to properly acknowledge the importance of the quality and work load delivered by workers and accord them with appropriate salaries no matter the institution.
Professor Bondzi Simpson mentioned that some public sector workers receive higher wages or salaries than their counterparts in another public service, though they all have the same qualifications and workloads. Meaning a public sector worker is paid more or less depending on where they work.
The professor then asserted that the single spine salary structure is not functional, as there still exist multiple spine salaries which have quadrupled.
“While the issues with the public sector persist, it is important for academia to make contributions through forums such as public lectures to propose better reforms”, he said.
The Professor then opined that a compensation formula such as: basic compensation that is based on educational qualification for the specific job at a time should be considered, Bachelor’s degree for pre-tertiary teaching, M.Phil. for assistant lectureship, PhD for university lectureship and research.
He said a PhD holder in Special Education for Basic Schools should not be paid less because of the type of institution, while their counterparts with the same qualifications and workloads are taking higher salaries in another institution.
He said there should be proper adjustments in salaries for years of relevant experience according to scale, and there should also be appropriate determination of compensation suitable for ranks, eg cleaner or chief cleaner, driver or senior driver, assistant state attorney or principal state attorney.
There should also be computation of the emoluments for any post or office occupied, eg coordinator, district director, regional commander, head of department or headteacher and also further additions be made to allowances for deprived areas or risky jobs, and while at that, consider inflation.
The above proposals, Professor Bondzi-Simpson said, when implemented well, will establish a fairer, more objective and cross-cutting approach resulting in a genuine single spine salary structure.
The Vice Chancellor of Central University, Professor Bill Buerner Puplamp, thanked Professor Bondzi-Simpson for the enlightenment and appealed to the government and policymakers to make conscious efforts in redressing the salary disparities in the public sector.
He said the public lecture series organised by the Central University is part of the University’s agenda to educate and contribute to matters of national interest to enhance national development.
