Government has announced that beginning in April 2017, all public sector workers who have not yet biometrically registered with Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) will not be paid their salaries.
Accordining to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Attah SSNIT database will be used as a filter for the payment of public sector workers, adding that “starting in April, all workers who have not been biometrically registered with SSNIT will be taken off Government payroll.”
The Minister of Finance made the disclosure during the presentation of the Akufo Addo led-government first budget in Parliament on Thursday March 2, 2017.
He said the size of the public-sector compensation bill (wages, salaries, & other costs), which accounts for a significant proportion of domestic revenue, is a major concern for Government.
“It is one of the ‘Big-Three’ budget line items that continue to narrow Government’s choices in pursuing higher economic growth and development programmes.” the Minister noted.
Hon. Ken Ofori Atta further stated that in spite of the Public Services Commission policy on recruitments and promotions, the country continues to see delays in the processing of recruitments and in promotions, adding that these delays create frustrations for new recruits and serve as demotivation for serving officers due for promotion.
“Further, these delays lead to unexpected accumulation of arrears that hurt the integrity of our fiscal planning.
Speaker, in order to control the wage bill, and avoid compensation arrears that have not been provided for in our budgets, Government will from 2017 strictly enforce the policy and guidelines on the effective dates of promotions and recruitments within the Public Services.
“Substantive effective dates of recruitments and promotions shall not be backdated without the explicit permission of the Minister for Finance in writing.” Hon. Ken Ofori Atta said.
