President Mahama advocates structural reforms to address public sector pay disparities

President John Dramani Mahama has called for bold structural reforms to Ghana’s public sector pay system, citing long-standing disparities, recurring labour disputes, and pressure on public finances.

Speaking during a high-level dialogue with organized labour, President Mahama emphasized that improving the welfare and dignity of Ghanaian workers remains central to the country’s development agenda.

“I am pleased to welcome you to this important dialogue, which lies at the very heart of our national development agenda the welfare, dignity, and productivity of the Ghanaian worker,” he said.

President Mahama commended organized labour for maintaining constructive engagement with government, describing the partnership as essential to national progress. “The strength of our nation depends greatly on the strength of the partnership between government and organized labour,” he noted.

He stressed that the engagement goes beyond routine discussions and should serve as a turning point for Ghana’s labour and compensation systems. “Today’s meeting is more than just a dialogue. It is a shared responsibility—an opportunity to reset and reimagine the future of work, compensation, and social protection in Ghana,” he added.

Addressing persistent challenges, the President pointed to inequalities in public sector pay and inefficiencies in the current remuneration framework. He acknowledged that these issues have, over the years, strained both government finances and relations with organized labour.

“For many years, our country has grappled with persistent disparities in public sector pay, recurring labour disputes, and a remuneration system that often struggles to strike a balance between fairness to workers and the fiscal realities of the state,” he said.

President Mahama maintained that incremental changes would not be sufficient to resolve the issues, calling instead for decisive and comprehensive action.

“It is my firm conviction that the time has come not for incremental adjustments but for bold, structural reforms in how public sector emoluments are determined and managed,” he declared.

The dialogue forms part of ongoing efforts by government to strengthen labour relations and develop a more equitable and sustainable compensation system for Ghanaian workers.