Amid public outcry about the huge disparity between the wages of executive and legislative arms of government and the starvation wages of the majority of civil servants, a delegation from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment has paid a working visit to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to tap Ghana’s experience in managing public employment programmes and employment tracking systems.
According to reports in Ghanaian media, the Gambian delegation interacted with the heads of the various units of the commission.
Led by Permanent Secretary Lamin Dampha, the delegation sought to acquire knowledge and the needed skills to enhance The Gambia’s labour sector.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Executive of FWSC, Ing. Benjamin Arthur, shared insights into the Commission’s operations, mandate, and achievements.
Key topics discussed at the meeting included the Salary Administration regimes, Single Spine Salary Pay Policy, performance management in the public service, the activities of the technical directorates of the Commission and major achievements of the FWSC in 2023.
Highlighting some of the achievements of the FWSC for last year, Ing Arthur said the Commission developed a blueprint on linking pay to performance and productivity in the public sector, monitoring 119 public service organisations to sanitise government payroll systems and to ensure compliance with the Single Spine Pay Policy. He added that the Commission engaged 450 stakeholders on harmonisation of salary administration to ensure sustainable wage bills and 35 public service organisations on linking pay to performance and productivity.
The Gambian delegation indicated that the country was ready to learn from Ghana’s labour management expertise, acknowledging some of the major transformations in addressing labour issues in the country, which have positively impacted industrial relations.
Mr Dampha highlighted the historical relationship between Ghana and The Gambia, explaining that the visit underscored the growing collaboration between Ghana and The Gambia in labour-sector development.
He expressed gratitude for the enlightenment from the team at the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.
