The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is to become the Independent Public Emoluments Commission in a 2027-2028 pay overhaul.

Published 12 Nov 2026, 22:30 GMT

3 min read

Wide view of a full Parliament chamber during the 2027 Budget presentation — The chamber during the 2027 Budget presentation

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Ghanaians will vote in a referendum on whether the pay of the President, ministers, MPs and Superior Court justices should come under a new Independent Public Emoluments Commission, according to the 2027 Budget Statement.

The plan is part of a two-year overhaul of public sector pay in 2027 and 2028, set out in the full Budget Statement that Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson presented to Parliament on Thursday, November 12.

The new commission, known as IPEC, will replace the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. President John Mahama had announced the change, the Statement says.

"Let me be clear: this is not a change of name," it says. "It is a change in how public sector salaries, allowances and benefits are decided, negotiated, regulated and managed."

The four phases

First, the government will send an IPEC Bill to Parliament in 2027, covering public institutions and state-owned enterprises.

Second, it will seek constitutional amendments to make IPEC a constitutional body, so that it "outlives any one government".

Third, Ghanaians will decide in a national referendum whether Article 71 office holders should also come under IPEC. Those include the President, ministers, MPs and the judges of the Superior Courts, the Statement says.

Fourth, four policies will be put in place during the transition: a national public sector emoluments policy, a national negotiations policy, a performance-based pay policy and a framework for allowances and benefits.

Why the government wants it

The Statement says fairness in the Single Spine pay system, introduced in 2010, has been eroded by multiplying allowances, special salary arrangements and exemptions.

"Today, two public service workers with similar qualifications, doing similar work, can take home very different pay simply because of where they work," it says.

It says the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission "has not had enough independence" and has been exposed to political and administrative pressure.

Not a wage freeze

The government says it will hold back on approving new allowances, special salary structures and wholesale reviews of conditions of service while the reform runs.

The referendum budget

Separately, the Electoral Commission says it has prepared a draft Constitutional Instrument for a 2027 referendum. It plans to hold the referendum and the District Level Elections in 2027.

The budget gives the Commission GH¢1.2 billion, GH¢900 million of it for the District Level Elections and a constitutional referendum.

The Statement does not say whether the IPEC question will be on that ballot, or when the referendum will be held. The full speech is on 3News.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

Referendum to decide if President&#39;s and MPs&#39; pay goes under new IPEC, Budget says

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Referendum to decide if President's and MPs' pay goes under new IPEC, Budget says