By News Desk
Government and Organised Labour have signed a two-year public sector pay agreement covering the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years, with public sector workers under the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) expected to receive salary increases over the period.
The agreement, negotiated by the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC), provides for a 9 per cent increase in total remuneration in 2027, comprising an 8 per cent increase in base pay and an additional 1 per cent for Conditions of Service.
The increase will take effect from January 1, 2027.
For 2028, the parties have agreed to a 10 per cent across-the-board increase in base pay, effective January 1, 2028.
The agreement also provides for a review of the 2028 pay arrangement if inflation exceeds the agreed threshold, alongside an income protection clause aimed at safeguarding workers’ earnings.
Government was represented in the negotiations by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Ministry of Finance.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, described the agreement as a historic milestone, noting that it was the first time Government and Organised Labour had reached a two-year public sector pay deal.
“For the first time, we have a two-year pay agreement. It is about protecting workers’ incomes and helping Government plan spending responsibly. Fair pay and responsible management of public finances can go hand in hand,” he said.
Dr Forson said the arrangement was intended to provide greater predictability in public sector compensation while supporting responsible management of the public finances.
The Chief Executive Officer of the FWSC, Dr George Smith-Graham, said the agreement would promote industrial harmony and stability, particularly during the transition from the Commission to the proposed Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC).
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Bro. Joshua Ansah, said the 9 per cent remuneration increase for 2027 was above the prevailing inflation rate but did not fully address the economic pressures facing workers.
He indicated that the parties would reconvene to review the 2028 pay arrangement if inflation exceeded the agreed threshold.
The agreement is based on Government’s inflation projection of 8 per cent, with a margin of plus or minus two percentage points, for 2027 and 2028. The parties have agreed to revisit the 2028 pay arrangement if inflation for December 2027 exceeds the eight per cent midpoint by a factor of two.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Government by Dr George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the FWSC, and on behalf of Organised Labour by Bro. Joshua Ansah, Secretary-General of the TUC.
The signing ceremony which took place in Accra, was witnessed by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson and the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas T. Musah.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining industrial harmony and ensuring a stable labour environment throughout the period covered by the agreement.
