New Public Sector pay policy expected by October 2026 – FWSC CEO

Man wearing a blue shirt and glasses sits at a desk in an office, with a flag in the background.

By Prince Antwi June 24, 2026

Ghana’s proposed National Emoluments Policy is expected to be passed into law by October 2026, paving the way for the establishment of an Independent Emoluments Commission (IEC) to oversee salaries and benefits across the public sector.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), George Smith-Graham, said the new framework would replace politically influenced salary adjustments with a transparent, rules-based system.

According to him, the policy is designed to introduce a productivity-linked salary structure, rationalise Ghana’s wage bill, cap excessive allowances and ensure fair and equitable remuneration across public institutions while delivering value for money.

Dr Smith-Graham disclosed that the initial draft of the policy is currently undergoing internal consultations. This will be followed by broader stakeholder engagements involving the Judiciary, Executive, Legislature, Organised Labour and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

Once consultations are completed, the bill will be forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Department for legal review before being submitted to Cabinet and Parliament. He expressed confidence that the legislative process would be concluded before the end of October 2026.

“The President, John Dramani Mahama, has already declared the IEC as an institution in transition. As we speak, we are working on the zero draft of the legal instrument,” he said.

A major feature of the proposed policy is the formal link between salaries and productivity, a long-standing demand of organised labour. A national productivity roundtable is expected to be held in September to discuss the framework.

Dr Smith-Graham explained that once established, the IEC would have the legal authority to enforce the principle of equal pay for work of equal value across all public institutions, while addressing challenges associated with the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

He noted that calls for an independent emoluments commission date back to recommendations made by the 2011 Constitution Review Committee and subsequent presidential committees, which advocated a single body to determine public sector pay.

“Nobody will be able to influence the decisions of the Commission as envisaged under the law. It has to be a completely independent institution,” he stated.

Implementation of the new pay policy will be carried out in phases. The first stage will cover Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), subvented agencies and State-Owned Enterprises on the government payroll, with FWSC grading structures serving as the foundation.

Dr Smith-Graham added that salaries for Article 71 office holders would be brought under the IEC after the required constitutional amendments and a national referendum.

“The IEC will determine pay for everybody, from the President to workers in public sector organisations,” he said.

Addressing concerns about the fiscal impact of the reforms, he acknowledged that implementation would come at a cost. However, lessons from the rollout of the Single Spine Salary Structure would help ensure sustainability.

He stressed that future salary decisions would be guided by a defined national compensation envelope, preventing expenditure commitments beyond the country’s financial capacity.

“The sustainable approach is for government to determine how much it can spend on compensation, while the responsible institution ensures implementation within that limit,” he explained.

Dr Smith-Graham called on all stakeholders to contribute to the process, expressing optimism that the reforms would result in a fair, sustainable and enduring public sector pay system for Ghana.