SOURCE: GRAPHICONLINE
The Internal Audit Agency (IAA) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to monitor payroll and other compensation-related benefits for an improved wage structure.
The MoU, which was signed in Accra yesterday[August 3, 2022], will ensure a synergy in the implementation of audit recommendations, research and funding to realise the objectives.
Staff of the IAA will be trained to enable them to hold duty bearers accountable and also eliminate names of non-existing staff (ghost employees) from the government payroll.
Both parties will also monitor collective bargaining agreement processes to ensure the efficient use of government resources and accountability by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).
The Board Chairman of the IAA, Joseph Winful, signed on behalf of the agency, while a board member of the FWSC, Florence Hutchful, signed on behalf of the FWSC Board Chairman, Michael Yaw Owusu-Nimako.
The Director-General of the IAA, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, and the Chief Executive Officer of the FWSC, Benjamin Arthur, signed as witnesses.
Mr Winful said the agreement would help protect the public purse, ensure that salaries and wages were commensurate with productivity, while bringing in more innovative ideas.
“Let us not sit back and wait for instructions from political leaders; let us be brave enough to ensure that at least there is five to 10 per cent improvement in our wage structure,” he added.
Significance
Mr Arthur emphasised the importance of effective collaboration, saying working in silos had not helped to protect the public purse.
“The time has come for us to collaborate to ensure that the right things are done,” he said.
Payment of COLA
On the recent agreement on the payment of cost of living allowance (COLA), the CEO said his outfit had completed drafting the needed modalities, and that soon payments would be made to public sector workers
“Nobody should have doubts because we are certain that we will implement it as soon as possible. We are working on schedule and I am sure between two and three weeks the government will come out publicly with the exact date of implementation,” he added.
