Public-sector salary disputes in Ghana’s universities and services often start with a simple observation: one group earns more than another. Yet that gap alone does not prove unfairness. Prof Kwame Oteng-Abayie, a labour economist, explained that fairness in pay demands consistent principles, reliable evidence and a readiness to correct unjustified disparities.
Oteng-Abayie told Accra Posts that the fundamental question is what explains the difference, and whether that explanation is defensible. Labour economics identifies several factors that influence pay levels: relevant skills, training, experience, responsibilities, working conditions, labour-market scarcity and bargaining outcomes.
“The existence of a master’s degree, PhD or professional certificate alone cannot determine the appropriate salary,” Oteng-Abayie said. “Qualifications matter partly because of the knowledge and capabilities a job requires. Holding the same degree does not necessarily mean performing work of the same value.”
He gave examples from Ghana’s public universities. A medical specialist teaching in a university hospital, a professor supervising doctoral research and a chartered accountant responsible for institutional financial reporting all require advanced qualifications. Yet their remuneration should reflect the distinct knowledge, risks and responsibilities attached to their jobs.
Oteng-Abayie noted that job titles are administrative labels but imperfect measures of job value. Titles like professor, director, registrar or head of department can conceal substantial differences in duties. The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) describes job evaluation in terms that include knowledge and skills, responsibility, effort and working conditions.
“A public university could apply such factors when reviewing whether the work of a procurement director, university librarian, laboratory manager and academic department head has been evaluated consistently,” Oteng-Abayie said. “The review could examine the scale of budgets managed, number of staff supervised, consequences of error, level of professional judgement required and the conditions under which the work is performed.”
Within universities, academic work encompasses teaching, research, postgraduate supervision, assessment and professional service. Administrative and professional work covers financial management, admissions, legal compliance, human resources, procurement and institutional governance. Each should be assessed on its actual requirements.
Oteng-Abayie gave hypothetical comparisons. A lecturer teaching large undergraduate classes, supervising graduate students and conducting externally funded research may have a different job profile from a lecturer whose principal responsibility is clinical teaching or field-based extension work. Similarly, an administrator managing payroll and statutory reporting may face different accountability requirements from an officer handling routine records.
The economist said universities depend on these contributions working together. Their interdependence establishes the importance of each function, while job evaluation helps determine whether particular roles warrant comparable or different remuneration.
He also discussed the market premium concept. Workers with similarly evaluated jobs may face different external employment opportunities. An institution may struggle to recruit or retain particular specialists because other employers offer substantially better compensation. A market premium can help address that difficulty, but it should be justified by recruitment or retention problems.
“Such a premium should not be treated as proof that an entire occupational group is inherently more valuable than another,” Oteng-Abayie said.
The FWSC’s material lists market premiums for scarce and critical skills among the components of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) and refers to labour-market information in discussions of such premiums. Examples in Ghanaian universities might include nuclear physics, actuarial science, cybersecurity, petroleum engineering, artificial intelligence, medical subspecialties or specialised laboratory sciences. Oteng-Abayie emphasised these are examples, not verified findings of scarcity.
“A university should demonstrate scarcity through evidence such as repeated failed recruitment exercises, prolonged vacancies, resignations to private-sector employers, competing offers or credible salary data from comparable institutions,” he said. “A defensible premium should be supported by evidence: persistent vacancies, unsuccessful recruitment, staff turnover, competing offers or reliable salary comparisons.”
Oteng-Abayie suggested universities could establish joint review mechanisms involving management, recognised staff associations, the university council, the FWSC and relevant government agencies, subject to their legal mandates. This mechanism could identify scarce skills, review job evaluations, and recommend adjustments with transparency.
The discussion around pay differences in Ghana’s public sector universities raises questions about how institutions balance qualifications, job demands, market forces and fairness. Oteng-Abayie’s analysis shows that pay disparities require more than surface comparisons—they demand scrutiny rooted in evidence and context.
According to 3News.
