Kadjebi workers describe 9% base pay salary increase as inadequate 

Public sector workers in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, have expressed disappointment over the recently announced nine per cent increase in the national base pay for government workers, describing the increment as “woefully inadequate.” 

The workers, reacting to the announcement made on Sunday, November 9, said the new wage adjustment failed to reflect the high cost of living and the continuous rise in prices of essential goods and services across the country. 

A Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) Executive member in the District, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity, said the outcome of the 2025 salary negotiations was disappointing and a betrayal of workers’ expectations. 

According to him, “Starting negotiations with a proposal for a 20 per cent increment and ending up with only nine per cent shows a lack of good faith. This agreement is not in the interest of the Ghanaian public sector worker, considering the economic challenges we are all facing.” 

He noted that with increasing utility tariffs, transportation costs, rent, and food prices, the new base pay would barely make any difference in improving the livelihoods of civil and public servants. 

An Executive member of the Kadjebi District of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), who also spoke to the GNA on condition of anonymity, said teachers were unhappy with the increment, noting that it fell short of expectations and failed to match the prevailing economic conditions. 

She said, “Given the rising cost of living and the financial pressures on teachers, this nine per cent adjustment is simply not enough. We were expecting at least a double-digit increase that reflects the supposed improvements in the economy.” 

She added that many teachers continued to face financial strain, and the current increment would not significantly improve their living conditions. 

She urged the government to re-engage with labour unions to reach a more realistic and fair agreement. 

Mr Frank Dorleku, a public servant, shared similar sentiments, describing the increment as disappointing and out of touch with the economic realities facing workers. 

He stated that the government needed to show greater commitment to the welfare of its workforce through fairer and more responsive negotiations.  

“Workers’ contributions keep the public sector running, and they deserve compensation that truly reflects their efforts and the cost of living,” he said. 

Mr Dorleku further urged the government and organized labour to work collaboratively to arrive at a more balanced and transparent framework for future salary negotiations. 

The workers appealed to the government and labour unions to return to the negotiation table to consider a more realistic adjustment that would help ease the financial burden on Ghanaian workers. 

The government and organized Labour on Sunday, November 9 agreed on nine per cent increase in base pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure across board effective January 2026 to December 2026. 

The agreement to that effect was signed by Dr George Smith-Graham, Executive Director for Fair Wages and Salary Commission, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister of Finance, Mr Joshua Ansah, Secretary General, Ghana Trade Union Congress and Dr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Executive Secretary, CLOGSAG. 

Source: GNA 

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