Additionally, the National Tripartite Committee has approved a 9 percent increase in the national daily minimum wage, moving it from GH₵19.97 to GH₵21.77. The new rate takes effect from January 1 to December 31, 2026.

The agreement, signed on November 9, 2025, by representatives of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and Organised Labour, marks the conclusion of successful negotiations aimed at promoting fairness and stability within the public sector pay structure.

Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson commended the labour unions for their cooperation and sense of national responsibility, noting that the adjustment aligns with the government’s broader strategy to sustain Ghana’s economic recovery.

“The country has endured difficult times with high inflation and interest rates. Thankfully, both have declined, and the government remains determined to bring inflation down further—below the current 8 percent—to ease the burden on citizens,” Dr. Forson said.

He added that the Ministry of Finance and the FWSC will collaborate closely to ensure the full implementation of all provisions agreed upon.

Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, also praised the constructive dialogue between government and labour representatives, describing the outcome as a testament to the administration’s commitment to labour peace and economic stability.

Chief Executive of the FWSC, Dr. George Smith-Graham, expressed appreciation to Organised Labour for their continued partnership, noting that their cooperation has been instrumental in supporting the country’s economic recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, TUC Secretary-General Joshua Ansah acknowledged the sacrifices made by workers in accepting the 9 percent increment.

He urged the government to avoid introducing new taxes or tariff adjustments that could diminish the real value of the increase.

Mr. Ansah concluded by calling on the government to honour all commitments made during the negotiations to maintain workers’ confidence and ensure their welfare is adequately protected.

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According to him, Parliament is expected to pass a three-month expenditure on accounts, covering salaries and other essential and statutory payments.

However, he noted in a Facebook post that due to the recent parliamentary impasse, these appropriations could struggle to gain consensus approval.

“If you are a public sector worker and were expecting to receive your salary for Christmas, be aware that the NDC caucus in Parliament has decided to obstruct and prevent the Government from submitting the three months’ salary appropriations,” he stated.

Mr. Osei’s concerns follow Speaker Alban Bagbin’s indefinite adjournment of parliamentary proceedings on Thursday, November 7.

The Speaker cited the NPP caucus’s refusal to attend despite requesting a recall for critical government business.

The MP criticized what he described as “partisan posturing” in Parliament, lamenting its impact on governance and the country’s financial stability.

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This follows the conclusion of negotiations on the 2024 base pay.

Payment of the 23 per cent adjustment took effect from January 1, this year.

The Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, confirmed this to the Daily Graphic.

He said approval had already been given by the government for the payment of the 23 per cent adjustment.

Mr Kwaning-Bosompem indicated that the government had been very committed to the emoluments of public sector workers, and that salaries had been paid not only in the right amount, but on dates published for payment of salaries.

The Controller and Accountant General’s Department at the beginning of every year publishes the dates of payments for salaries of public sector workers.

Commitment

“The government is very committed to upholding workers interests and has never faulted in paying salaries even when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020,” Mr Kwaning-Bosompem said.

“In other jurisdictions, during the COVID-19 pandemic, salaries were cut and people were laid off, but in Ghana the government kept faith with workers by paying their salaries,” he added.

Mr Kwaning-Bosompem said the government had done its bit, and that it was expected that public sector workers would work hard to help to stabilise the economy.

“The economy has started showing signs of full recovery, and we must work together to stabilise the fiscal environment and prosecute stability in the macroeconomic environment,” the Controller and Accountant General said.

Organised Labour

Some members of Organised Labour have confirmed the payment of the 23 per cent increase in base pay by the government.

The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) confirmed the payment of the base pay.

The General Secretary of the union, Mark Dankyira Korankye, who confirmed this to the Daily Graphic, said his outfit had so far not received any complaint whatsoever from its rank and file regarding the payment.

“As far as our members are concerned they have received their pay based on the new 23 per cent salary adjustment,” he emphasised.

Recall

The government last year increased the base pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) by 30 per cent across the board.

The 30 per cent is the biggest increment Organised Labour has secured out of negotiations with the government since 2010 when the government increased the base pay by 20 per cent, and by the same margin in 2011.

The 30 per cent increment of the base pay last year also brought an end to the cost of living allowance (COLA) of 15 per cent which the government paid public sector workers between July and December last year.

Before the current administration came to power in 2017, the highest increment had been 12 per cent, which was secured in 2017.

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