The Minority in Parliament has rejected the newly agreed 9 per cent salary increase for public sector workers in 2027, describing the deal as inadequate amid rising utility tariffs and other household expenses.
The Minority Caucus on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions said the two-year remuneration agreement signed on October 28, 2026, failed to adequately reflect the economic pressures facing workers.
Under the agreement, public sector workers will receive a 9 per cent total remuneration increase in 2027, comprising an 8 per cent base pay increase and a 1 per cent adjustment in conditions of service. A 10 per cent increase has been agreed for 2028.
In a press statement issued on Friday, October 30, and signed by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions, Mavis Nkansah Boadu, the Minority described the 2027 adjustment as “nothing short of an insult”.
It argued that the increases were insufficient to protect workers’ purchasing power, particularly against the cumulative impact of utility tariff adjustments, rising rent, transport fares and other essential expenses.
The caucus noted that public sector workers received salary adjustments of 10 per cent in 2025 and 9 per cent in 2026, while electricity and water tariffs had also increased over the same period.
According to the statement, electricity tariffs had risen by approximately 29 per cent between the beginning of 2025 and July 2026, while water tariffs had increased by about 18 per cent.
It further cited an 8 per cent increase in public transport fares effective September 26, 2026, with some short-distance fares rising by between 10 and 12 per cent.
The Minority also pointed to rising residential rents, cooking gas prices and mobile data charges as additional pressures on household budgets.
“While public sector workers are shackled with sub-inflationary salary increments, following 10% in 2025 and 9% in 2026, the cost of living has skyrocketed under relentless compounding adjustments administered by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC),” the statement said.
It accused the government of shifting the burden of economic recovery onto workers by expecting them to accept modest salary increases while allowing utility tariffs and other essential costs to rise.
“Expecting workers to tighten their belts with a 9% pay deal while utility tariffs compound quarterly is economic wickedness that the Minority Caucus will fiercely resist,” it added.
The caucus also questioned the role of organised labour in the negotiations, expressing concern that union leaders had accepted the two-year agreement despite earlier assurances that they would push for a significant increase in the 2027 base pay.
It recalled that some labour leaders had previously described the 9 per cent salary adjustment for 2026 as “woefully inadequate”, raising concerns about what it said was a repetition of the same outcome.
The Minority said it had received feedback from union members expressing disappointment with both the government and their leadership over the latest agreement.
It urged workers to demand explanations from their union leaders on the proposals presented during negotiations and the reasons for accepting the two-year arrangement.
The caucus further questioned the decision to adopt a two-year framework, suggesting that the proposed transition from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC) was being used to restrict workers’ bargaining position.
Among its demands, the Minority called for an immediate reconvening of the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee to review the remuneration framework and establish what it described as a living wage that reflects the actual cost of living.
It also called for a more comprehensive approach to wage negotiations, arguing that salary adjustments should take into account increases in utility tariffs and other essential household expenses.
Additionally, it urged organised labour to publish the proposals presented during negotiations and explain to its members the basis for accepting the two-year agreement.
“The Ghanaian worker deserves dignity, economic justice, and a fair share of national prosperity,” the statement said.
