As transition from FWSC to Independent Public Emoluments Commission advances, the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Dr. George Smith-Graham, has disclosed that Government is on course to lay the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC) Bill before Parliament before the end of 2026.
He made this known when the Minister for Labour, Jobs, and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, paid a working visit to the Commission.
Providing an update on the transition from FWSC to IPEC, Dr Smith-Graham said the establishment of IPEC represents one of the most significant public sector governance reforms since the introduction of the Single Spine Pay Policy.
According to him, the reform, which was announced by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama during the National Stakeholder Engagement with Organised Labour in March 2026, seeks to replace Ghana’s fragmented public sector remuneration architecture with an integrated, transparent, equitable and productivity-driven National Public Sector Emoluments Management System.
Phased Implementation
Dr. Smith-Graham explained that the President has directed a three-phased implementation strategy.
Under Phase One, IPEC will be established as a statutory commission responsible for remuneration management across the entire Public Service, including the Civil Service, Local Government Service, Education and Health sectors, Security Services, State-Owned Enterprises, Public Corporations, and Constitutional Bodies, excluding Article 71 Office Holders.
Phase Two will involve the amendment of the constitution to make IPEC a Constitutional Body as part of the non-entrenched clauses.
Phase Three, which will be implemented after a national referendum, will incorporate Article 71 Office Holders, thereby transforming IPEC into an Independent Constitutional Commission.
“This phased approach enables Government to commence urgent remuneration reforms immediately while respecting constitutional requirements,” Dr Smith-Graham noted.
Progress So Far
He told the Minister that implementation is well advanced. Following the President’s declaration of FWSC as an institution in transition, the FWSC Board has established governance arrangements to steer the reform.
Key milestones achieved include the constitution of a Board Legal Committee to oversee the IPEC Bill, engagement of a legislative drafting expert nominated by the Ministry of Finance and consultation with the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, who has endorsed the phased strategy.
Dedicated technical committees have also been established to lead work on legal reforms, job evaluation, finance, ICT, human capital and other areas.
Next Steps
Dr. Smith-Graham said the immediate focus is broad stakeholder consultation. The Commission has already held consultations with Organised Labour on August 13 and 14, 2026, and will extend engagement to CEOs of SOEs, Heads of Public Institutions, Security Services, Parliamentary Select Committees, Development Partners, Academia, CSOs and the Media.
He added that a comprehensive nationwide Job Evaluation exercise will be undertaken to establish a modern grading architecture, and the Government will convene a National Productivity Roundtable Conference to build consensus on linking pay to productivity.
He emphasized that IPEC will ensure fairness, equal pay for work of equal value, harmonise compensation, strengthen collective bargaining, enhance governance and support fiscal sustainability.
The Minister, Mr Agyekum, commended the FWSC for its work and assured the Commission of Government’s support to ensure the successful implementation of the landmark reform.
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