Dr. George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), says the Management Development and Productivity Institute’s (MDPI) operations are critical to national development.
According to Dr. Smith-Graham, tying public sector pay to productivity has always been difficult, and institutions like the MDPI continue to be important partners in evaluating productivity.
He said this during a courtesy call on Prof. Elijah Yendaw, Director General of the MDPI, to discuss how they could work together to enhance efficiency across various government institutions.
“One of the objectives of this courtesy call is to formally introduce myself to the MDPI and also see how we can work collaboratively.
“I have always said that the MDPI is an institution that is supposed to help us develop indicators when it comes to productivity in the country.
“First of all, we cannot have a successful 24-hour economy without effective productivity indices and indicators,” Dr Smith-Graham stated.
He added that collaboration with MDPI was very vital as they gradually transitioned to an Independent Emolument Commission that would determine the salaries of all public servants.
“We cannot fail, especially as we pursue the reset agenda by President John Dramani Mahama. We need to have an independent Emolument Commission that will now see all salaries properly rationalised, and we will count on the support of MDPI,” Dr Smith-Graham said.
Prof. Yendaw, the Director General of MDPI, thanked the FWSC team for their courtesy visit, stating that the two entities working together would help measure and improve productivity in various government institutions.
He stated that the main objective of MDPI was to increase productivity, especially in public organisations, to effectively contribute to the growth of the economy.
Prof. Yendaw noted the few challenges in the public sector, which included low productivity, adding that his outfit was set to roll out training for attitudinal change across various public institutions.
He also stated that MDPI was ready to collaborate with FWSC to develop national productivity metrics that could address various challenges in assessing the productivity of individuals in various agencies.
Prof. Yendaw also pleaded with the FWSC to evaluate the current salary structure discrepancies of MPDI so that staff would be incentivised to contribute their quota to national development.
“So I am proposing to the Commission to look at our scheme of service, which is one of the lowest and is really bad and terrible. So I entreat the FWSC to study our scheme of service, improve it and rectify it if there are any problems,” he said.