Back Pay Delay: GAF Explains

There is an uneasy calm among personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) over the delay in the payment of back-pay resulting from a 10% salary increment. Government in August approved a 10% pay rise for public sector workers and back-dated it to January this year. For GAF, the new salary scheme took effect in November, creating arrears of 10 months (January to October). Information gathered by The Finder indicates that when the new salary scheme took effect, officers began to ask when the 10-month arrears would be paid them. When contacted, Director of Public Affairs of GAF, Colonel Mbawine Atintande told The Finder that the announcement of the increment was made without any formal communication in writing to the GAF. He said last month the GAF received formal communication in writing from the Ministry of Finance approving the payment of four months� arrears covering January to April. According to him, provided all procedures are completed on time by the various institutions, the approved four months out of the 10-month back pay should be paid by the Controller and Accountant General at the end of this month. Col. Atintande explained that the delay in paying the arrears cannot be blamed on the hierarchy of the GAF, as the payment of salaries was the responsibility of the Finance Ministry and the Controller and Accountant General. He told The Finder that the GAF was waiting for instructions in writing from the Finance Ministry on when the remaining six months� back-pay would be paid to personnel. He appealed to personnel of the GAF to focus on the discharge of their duties and wait for the right things to be done.