A representative of Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed confidence that the job re-evaluation exercise undertaken by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) would correct all anomalies the GMA had identified with the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
Dr. Frederick Kwarteng made the observation when speaking to Ghana News Agency in Accra (GNA) on Friday at the job re-evaluation exercise organised by FWSC in collaboration with Price Waterhouse Coopers, a consultancy firm, for selected jobs agreed by stakeholders.
He said "GMA thinks that this time around, the commission should have proper job analyst and set up a committee made up of professionals who understand the work attitude of health workers to review the exercise."
The two-day exercise was to create opportunities for institutions yet to be evaluated to go through the process while those already evaluated but are dissatisfied with placements on the SSSS to have their concerns reviewed and addressed.
Targeted institutions that require re-evaluation have been informed about the exercise and respondents were asked to bring along their job descriptions to assist them in successfully completing job analysis questionnaires they would be required to fill.
The Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) has superior benefits over previous pay systems which include ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in managing the Wage Bill, the removal of disparities in Public Service Salaries and eventually make public service pay competitive for the attraction and retention of the right mix of skills within a stable micro-economic environment.
Dr Kwarteng said that based on previous job evaluation exercise done in Ghana and from existing salary relativity both internal and international, GMA had observed with worry that the anomalies that existed in the pay structure was an affront to academic and excellent job output.
"For example, all paramedics who on previous exercise were on the same level with the medical officers have been placed on the level of principal medical officer on the SSSS. Similarly, all paramedics who by previous exercise were on the same level with the senior medical officer have been placed at the same level with the specialist on the SSSS. We think this is an affront to the academic and excellent job output and that should be corrected," he said.
Dr Kwarteng said GMA expected the commission to resolve all grievances before implementing the policy adding that detailed negotiations concerning market premium needed to be done.
Mr Godfred Abledu, National President of Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) told GNA that members of the association expected to be placed high on the structure and appealed to the FWSC to expedite action towards the implementation of the SSSS by July 2010.
He said though organised labour had pushed forward a proposal towards a 25 per cent increment in salary, government had not done anything about the increment stressing that government needed to increase salaries of workers this year before the implementation of the SSSS.
Referring to the proposed 25 per cent increase in salaries for workers, Mr Abledu said "this will cushion workers while they wait for the implementation of the SSSS. This year nothing has been done towards upward adjustment of salaries."
Mrs Eva Naa Adjeley Addo, Director at the Salary Grading, Re-grading and Job Evaluation of FWSC gave the assurance that the negotiations, evaluation and re-evaluation processes would end by April 2010 leaving more room for trial test of the implementation of SSSS.
She said the commission would continue to work with transparency and integrity and in collaboration with all social partners and the rank and file of public servants for the collective implementation of the salary structure in a sustainable manner such that no public sector worker would be disadvantaged.
The FWSC is the institution mandated by government to oversee the implementation of the SSPP. It was proposed in 2005 by a government consultant to resolve distortions in pay administrative system and correct the distortions.
Placement on the SSSS is based on a 25-level Grade Structure, constructed after a job evaluation exercise of 1,806 benchmark jobs, selected from 92 institutions throughout the country.
A conversion criterion has been developed by the FWSC with clear guidelines on how incumbents would be placed on the salary structure.