The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has ended a two-day capacity-building workshop for selected media personalities on the proposed transition to the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC).
The workshop focused on the proposed Commission’s mandate, the rationale for the transition and its implications for public sector remuneration, collective bargaining and the management of public funds.
Addressing participants, the Chief Executive of the FWSC, Dr George Smith Graham, said the reform presented an opportunity to address persistent inequalities in public sector compensation through a more coordinated, transparent and accountable system.
“Experience has shown that a common basic salary structure cannot, by itself, resolve every inequity in public sector compensation,” he said.
He explained that although the Single Spine Pay Policy provided a common basis for evaluating jobs and determining basic salaries, differences in allowances, benefits and other institutional arrangements continued to create disparities among public sector workers.
“Two employees may have comparable basic salaries, yet receive very different total remuneration because of allowances, housing, transport, other benefits or special institutional arrangements,” Dr Graham noted.
He said the proposed IPEC framework would seek to address these gaps by considering the full range of financial rewards attached to public employment and office.
Dr Graham, however, stressed that fairness in remuneration did not necessarily mean paying every worker the same salary.
“Fairness does not mean that everybody receives the same salary. Different jobs carry different responsibilities. Some require scarce expertise. Some involve greater risk, hardship or leadership demands,” he said.
He added that a fair remuneration system must recognise justified differences and require evidence to explain them.
The proposed Commission is expected to develop and maintain a national framework for public sector remuneration, including job evaluation, grading, salary structures and pay bands.
It is also expected to strengthen the assessment and certification of covered remuneration arrangements, support collective bargaining with reliable data, and improve monitoring and public accountability.
Dr Graham said remuneration proposals would be assessed against legal, technical and fiscal considerations before implementation, subject to the powers granted under the final law.
“A proposal would therefore need to answer several questions. Is it lawful? Is it supported by the job and institutional evidence? Is it equitable in relation to comparable arrangements? Has its full cost been assessed? Is there budget provision?” he asked.
He warned that compensation decisions could create financial obligations extending beyond their immediate beneficiaries, with implications for pensions, arrears and future demands from other institutions.
The FWSC Chief Executive also assured organised labour that the proposed reform would preserve lawful collective bargaining.
“Workers and their representatives remain essential participants in decisions affecting their livelihoods,” he said.
According to him, the intention was to make negotiations more predictable through reliable information, transparent parameters and proper assessments of affordability.
On the implementation roadmap, Dr Graham said the transition would proceed in phases, beginning with stakeholder consultations, the preparation and passage of the IPEC Bill, and the institutional arrangements required to operationalise the Commission.
The roadmap also envisages the establishment of IPEC as a constitutional body through the appropriate constitutional processes.
A further phase would consider bringing Article 71 office holders under the Commission’s remit through the relevant constitutional amendment process, including a national referendum where required.
Dr Graham cautioned that establishing the proposed Commission as a constitutional body and extending its mandate to Article 71 office holders were separate processes.
“Passing an ordinary Act does not automatically make an institution a constitutional body,” he said.
He explained that existing constitutional procedures governing the remuneration of Article 71 office holders could not simply be displaced through an ordinary statute.
The transition is also expected to involve the development of a National Emoluments Policy, a National Negotiations Policy, a new grading and pay structure, and a performance-based pay policy.
Dr Graham said the success of the reform would depend on the quality of the legislation, the competence of the new institution, reliable data and effective accountability mechanisms.
“The word ‘independent’ does not automatically produce independence. It must be supported by the institution’s appointment arrangements, tenure safeguards, resources, professional competence and decision-making procedures,” he stated.
He added that the Commission would remain subject to the Constitution, lawful fiscal parameters, parliamentary oversight, audit and judicial review.
Dr Graham urged journalists to scrutinise the proposed reform and help the public distinguish between policy proposals, enacted legislation and implemented decisions.
“Your participation in this workshop does not require you to endorse every proposal. It equips you to question the reform more effectively,” he told participants.
He encouraged journalists to establish the legal basis of remuneration claims, determine whether reported figures represented basic salaries or total compensation packages, and examine the financial implications of proposed arrangements.
He also cautioned against reporting a declaration of transition as an automatic cancellation of existing allowances or assuming that the proposed Commission would acquire all its intended powers before the necessary legal processes were completed.
According to him, accurate reporting would be critical to managing public expectations and promoting informed debate about public sector compensation.
“Our responsibility is to communicate these distinctions clearly,” Dr Graham said.
The two-day workshop ended on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen media understanding of the proposed transition and equip journalists to report on public sector remuneration, labour relations and the use of public resources with greater accuracy and context.