The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) has called on politicians to eschew the perception that the current economic downturn in the country is caused by the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP).
�If there had been any challenge with the budget overruns due to the SSPP, it should be blamed on some political appointees who did not appreciate the complexities of the operations within government services but were concerned with only political expediencies.�
This was contained in a press statement signed by Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, the Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua.
According to the statement, there was ample evidence that the budget deficits incurred between 2010 and 2014 were not primarily due to the implementation of the SSPP in the public sector.
�It ought to be noted that prior to the implementation of the policy, there had been a virtual freeze on salary increases in the public services and the chunk of the wage bill had been increased by defraying arrears of previous years,� it stated.
The statement suggested that the total wage bill had to be disaggregated to be able to pinpoint where the expenditures on the wage bill had been excessive.
It said without that Ghanaians would be groping in the dark and it would be difficult to find a lasting solution to the problem, �while at the same time certain public services are being blamed unfairly.�
The statement said the country�s undesirable budget deficits could be attributed to non-realization of revenue projections, dipping of primary commodities exported by Ghana and the shortfall in inflows from development partners.
�The CLOGSAG wishes to state that the intent and purpose of the SSPP were laudable, but its implementation, vital issues and procedures were not adhered to or ignored and that had resulted in the current challenges,� it stated.
According to the statement the unavailability of implementation guidelines which resulted in adhoc decisions by the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) is what continues to fuel labour unrests in the country.
It said improper costing of the SSPP created erroneous impression that government budgets can contain the extra expenditures on emoluments in the public sector.
The statement said the simultaneous payments of remuneration on two salary structures where the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) and Allowances and other benefits were being paid also caused the economic downturn.
�The worst of it all is the way political appointees persistently ignored good counsel from CLOGSAG prior to and during the implementation of the policy,� It said.
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