Equal Pay for Work of Equal Worth - Minister

Samuel Owusu-Agyei, Minister of State for Public Sector Reform (second left), addresing the media. He is supported by the Hon Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mrs Oboshe Sai Cofie and her Deputy, Hon Frank Agyekum as well as Hon Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, Nana Akomea   A new Pay Policy Reform which should improve the morale and productivity of Public Servants and also to establish equity with Public Sector salary administration has been updated. Updating the media today at the 'the meet- the-press series' ,organised by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Minister of State for Public Sector Reform, Hon Samuel Owusu-Agyei, said stakeholders raised number a of concerns during the November 2007 forum relating to the placements and insufficient coverage of the job evaluation exercise.

Hon Owusu-Agyei said, the forum gave stakeholders the opportunity to review the Consulting Report on pay comparison, Allowances and Single Spine and also to make informed inputs towards the refinement of the Consultant's Report.

He said the reports of the forum recommended that 'equity be introduced into salary administration in the public services in line with the principle of 'equal pay for work of equal worth'.

At the moment 1,806 benchmark jobs have been graded but it is important that all the 8,000 jobs in the public services are graded before the placement exercise and eventual implementation of the Single Spine', he said

Mr Owusu- Agyei cautioned all stakeholders to take care of their interests and also balance these interests with the national interest for the sake of harmony and peace.

The Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, Hon. Nana Akomea, advised all workers to work assiduously since an increment in the country's GDP is expected to result in a salary increment.

He said, the Pay Reform is to ensure that workers in the Private Sector are not cheated but are treated fairly like those in the Public Sector since this policy will ensure that no employee will be paid below the minimum wage.