Accra: A five-member delegation from Zambia’s Emoluments Commission has visited the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) in Ghana to learn from its practices in public sector compensation, wage harmonization, and job evaluation. The delegation, led by Chairman George Kawatu, aimed to gain insights from the FWSC’s approach to improving Zambia’s public sector compensation systems. This visit was part of Zambia’s efforts to enhance fiscal sustainability and create more equitable wage structures within its public sector.
According to Ghana News Agency, the delegation included Chembo F. Mbula, Acting Director General; Mufingwe Ngambi, Director of Emoluments, Research, Policy and Forecasting; Dorothy Mamfunda, Manager of Job Evaluation and Regrading; and Ireen Musonda, Manager of Salaries and Conditions of Service. The statement issued by the Commission highlighted the purpose of the visit and its potential impact on Zambia’s fiscal management and compensation policies.
The Chief Executive of the FWSC, Mr. B
enjamin Arthur, welcomed the Zambian delegation, expressing eagerness to share insights from the Commission’s work while also learning from Zambia’s experiences. He underscored the significance of socio-cultural and political contexts in managing salaries, noting that these factors are crucial for developing and implementing fair and practical salary systems. Mr. Arthur also emphasized the necessity of enforcing comprehensive labour laws to ensure successful salary management, pointing out that even well-designed systems could face implementation challenges without robust legal frameworks.
Established in 2022, Zambia’s Emoluments Commission is tasked with determining, harmonizing, and rationalizing public sector emoluments. Mr. Kawatu praised FWSC for its leadership in wage harmonization in Ghana and expressed Zambia’s eagerness to learn from FWSC’s expertise in job evaluation and equitable salary structures. He outlined Zambia’s goal of establishing a competitive, fair, and transparent wage structure that a
ccurately reflects the various roles within its public sector.
Mr. Kawatu expressed a keen interest in exploring FWSC’s policy frameworks and procedural approaches, which have enabled the Commission to achieve wage equity while maintaining transparency and trust among public sector employees and stakeholders. He highlighted the delegation’s hope to identify mutual learning opportunities to enhance public service and economic resilience in both Ghana and Zambia.
During their visit, the Zambian delegation plans to engage with experts and officials from several key institutions to gain valuable insights into Ghana’s best practices in public sector wage management, compensation structures, labour relations, and fiscal policy implementation. Institutions they plan to visit include the Ministry of Finance, Controller and Accountant General’s Department, Institute of Fiscal Studies, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Public Services Commission, and the National Labour Commission.
