What Fair Wages and Salaries Commission says about GBC staff GHS2m unearned salaries

The media has been awash with news about the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) regarding some unearned salaries which according to the commission must be stopped forthwith. The Commission indicated that all staff of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation who have benefited from such anomalies must be made to refund same.

FWSC wrote to The Controller and Acountant-General on the 20th of April, 2023 under the heading "Request For Immediate Stoppage of Unearned Allowances For Selected Staff of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC)."

In the letter, the Commission indicated that in collaboration with the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), it has commenced a Nationwide Payroll Monitoring Exercise. As mandated by Act 737 (2007), the Commission is mandated to "develop and monitor allowances and benefits as well as to coordinate, manage and monitor collective bargaining processes in which Government is the direct or indirect employer".

In pursuant to this mandate, the FWSC has come to the conclusion that some staff of GBC are enjoying some Allowances they are not entitled to.

They are by this authorising The Controller and Accountant-General to do the following:

1. Vehicle Maintenance Allowance should be taken off of the payroll in line with Section 4.2.17 of the Administrative Procedures for implementing Categories 2 and 3 Allowances in the public service.

2. GBC Computer Special Allowance should be taken off the payroll. This has never been determined by the Employer and was consolidated into the basic salary after the migration of GBC staff unto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

3. The following Category 4 Allowances which are meant for Directors and above are currently being enjoyed by some staff below the rank of Directors.

a. Rent Allowance (739 staff)
b. Domentic Servant Cleaner (4 staff)
c. Domestic Servant Cook (3 staff)
d. Domestic Servant Watchman (60 staff)
e. Housing (8 staff)
f. Entertainment (61 staff)
g. Utility (Electricity, Water and Telephone) (59 staff)

This should be immediately stopped and taken off the payroll.

4. Staff of GBC who have received the unearned allowances amounting to Two million, Eighty-Four Thousand and Twenty Ghana cedis (Gh¢2,084,020.00) per annum should refund the allowances into the appropriate GoG suspense account.