By Omar Bah
The Gambia’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment delegation visited the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to learn about Ghana’s expertise in managing public employment programs and tracking systems.
The delegation, led by Dampha Lamin, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, aimed to enhance their country’s labor sector. During the visit, Ing. Benjamin Arthur, the Chief Executive of FWSC, shared insights into the Commission’s operations, mandate, and achievements. They discussed salary administration regimes, the Single Spine Salary Pay Policy, performance management in the public service, the activities of the Commission’s technical directorates, and the significant achievements of the FWSC in 2023.
Ing. Arthur highlighted the FWSC’s achievements, such as developing a blueprint for linking pay to performance and productivity in the public sector, monitoring 119 public service organizations to sanitize the government payroll system and ensure compliance with the Single Spine Pay Policy, and engaging with 450 stakeholders in the harmonization of salary administration to ensure sustainable wage bills and 35 public service organizations on linking pay to performance and productivity.
The Gambian delegation expressed its readiness to learn from Ghana’s labor management expertise, recognizing the positive impact these transformations have had on industrial relations and instilling optimism for labor relations in The Gambia. Mr. Lamin highlighted the historical relationship between Ghana and The Gambia and emphasized the growing collaboration between the two countries in labor sector development. He expressed gratitude for the insights shared by the FWSC team and acknowledged the contributions of the Commission.
