FWSC says it has no hand in CEOs’ salary

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) says it  has no hand in the determination of the salaries of the chief executives of para-statal institutions.

A statement issued by the FWSC and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Sunday said it had noted the public concern over salaries of executives of para-statal institutions and the inquiries into what role the Commission has had to play in the determination of those salaries.

“Indeed at the onset of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP), all public institutions were invited to submit their allowances and salaries to enable the Commission harmonize and standardize existing conditions in the public service,” it stated. “Some institutions, however, declined compliance, claiming that per the definition of ‘public service’ as related to the SSPP, they were not covered,” it added.

The statement said particularly challenging to date, were institutions whose Enabling Acts seem to attribute the determination of their salaries to their boards and councils; and then income generation institutions, although they all belong to the state. 

It said it was worth noting, however, irrespective of what any institution claims, the FWSC Act still mandates the Commission “to develop and advise government on, and ensure that decisions are implemented on matters related to salaries and wages.”

It said the Constitutional Review Committee’s report had further recommended the transformation of FWSC to a fully independent commission to be known as the Independent Emoluments Commission (IEC), which should be mandated to determine and monitor all salaries of all state employees, from the President to the last public servant.

“FWSC is in consultations with Government and Parliament for the review of the FWSC Act to distinctly define the scope of the commission’s mandate in determining the emoluments of public institutions.  

“This direction, we’re confident, would help alleviate the seeming disparities in salary and conditions of institutions across the entire public sector,” it said.

Source: GNA