The government has approved a 23% increase in base pay under the Single Spine Salary Structure, which is a major step forward for workers in the public sector.

After lengthy negotiations with Organized Labour, this decision is expected to provide relief and better financial prospects for workers in a variety of sectors.

Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labor Relations, delivered the much-anticipated news on Tuesday.

According to him, the change will take effect on January 1, 2024, and it will last until June 2024.

“We agreed that the minimum wage would be reviewed upwards by 22%, averaging from 14.88 to GH18.15…We have concluded that the national base pay will be increased by 23% between 1st February 2024 to 30 June 2024 and subsequently an additional 2% incremnent will be added making it 25% from July to December 2024,” he stated.

Speaking on behalf of Organized Labor, Dr. Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress, expressed hope that the government will carefully carry out the decision.

However, the Deputy Minister of Finance emphasized that the administration is dedicated to improving the welfare of employees in the public sector.

For the 2023 fiscal year, Organized Labor wanted a 60% increase in base pay at all levels; nevertheless, despite multiple negotiations, nothing significant was accomplished for government employees.

Following that, the government decided to raise the Single Spine Salary Structure’s base salary for all public sector employees by 30%, starting on January 1, 2023.