Public Sector Salary Increase in Ghana: New Pay Calculations for 2027 and 2028
- Public sector workers in Ghana are set to receive an 8% basic salary increase in January 2027
- Workers earning GH₵3,000 could see their monthly basic salaries rise to GH₵3,240 in 2027 and GH₵3,564 in 2028
- A salary calculation table shows the potential increases for workers earning between GH₵1,500 and GH₵10,000
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Public sector workers in Ghana are expected to receive higher salaries from January 2027 following a new two-year pay agreement between the government and Organised Labour.
Source: UGC
The agreement, signed on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, provides for a 9% adjustment in total remuneration in 2027 and a further 10% increase in basic salaries in 2028.
However, the 2027 adjustment does not mean that every worker's basic salary will increase by 9%. The agreement allocates 8 percentage points to base pay and an additional 1 percentage point to conditions of service.
This means that a worker currently earning GH₵3,000 in monthly basic salary could receive GH₵240 extra in 2027, increasing the amount to GH₵3,240 before statutory deductions.
The adjustment applies to public sector employees covered by Ghana's Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
New salary calculations for workers
Under the agreement, the 8% basic salary increase takes effect on January 1, 2027, while the 10% adjustment for 2028 will be calculated using workers' applicable basic salaries as of December 31, 2027.
The table below illustrates how different monthly basic salaries could change over the two years.
Current monthly basic salary | 2027 increase (8%) | New 2027 basic salary | New 2028 basic salary (10% rise) |
GH₵1,500 | GH₵120 | GH₵1,620 | GH₵1,782 |
GH₵2,000 | GH₵160 | GH₵2,160 | GH₵2,376 |
GH₵2,500 | GH₵200 | GH₵2,700 | GH₵2,970 |
GH₵3,000 | GH₵240 | GH₵3,240 | GH₵3,564 |
GH₵3,500 | GH₵280 | GH₵3,780 | GH₵4,158 |
GH₵4,000 | GH₵320 | GH₵4,320 | GH₵4,752 |
GH₵5,000 | GH₵400 | GH₵5,400 | GH₵5,940 |
GH₵6,000 | GH₵480 | GH₵6,480 | GH₵7,128 |
GH₵8,000 | GH₵640 | GH₵8,640 | GH₵9,504 |
GH₵10,000 | GH₵800 | GH₵10,800 | GH₵11,880 |
Note: These are illustrative calculations based on the agreed percentage adjustments, not an official government salary scale. They assume the worker's 2026 basic salary remains unchanged before January 2027 and exclude allowances, promotions, taxes and other deductions.
For example, a public sector employee earning GH₵5,000 in basic salary would receive an additional GH₵400 monthly in 2027, bringing the salary to GH₵5,400.
In January 2028, the agreed 10% increase would be applied to the GH₵5,400 figure rather than the original GH₵5,000, resulting in another GH₵540 increase.
The worker's projected monthly basic salary would therefore reach GH₵5,940 by 2028, representing a cumulative increase of GH₵940, or 18.8%, over the two years.
Similarly, an employee earning GH₵2,000 could see their monthly basic salary increase by GH₵160 in 2027 and another GH₵216 in 2028.
What workers will actually receive
Although the agreement provides higher basic salaries, employees should not expect the entire increase to appear in their bank accounts.
Statutory deductions, including Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) income tax, will affect actual take-home pay.
For example, a worker whose basic salary rises from GH₵3,000 to GH₵3,240 in 2027 would have a monthly employee SSNIT contribution of GH₵178.20 at the current 5.5% rate.
This would leave GH₵3,061.80 before PAYE and any other deductions, assuming no additional allowances. The final take-home amount would depend on the tax rules applicable in 2027 and the worker's individual payroll deductions.
The additional 1 percentage point allocated to conditions of service in 2027 should also not be treated as an automatic 1% increase in every employee's basic salary. Its distribution will depend on the applicable conditions-of-service arrangements.
Meanwhile, the agreement contains an income protection provision allowing the negotiating parties to reconsider the 2028 adjustment if year-on-year inflation in December 2027 exceeds twice the government's 8% midpoint projection.
The Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress, Joshua Ansah, acknowledged that the negotiated increases would not completely address workers' financial difficulties.
"We recognise, however, that this figure does not fully reflect the pressures workers face in meeting their daily needs," he said.
The new pay arrangement covers January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2028. It does not introduce an immediate additional salary increase for the remaining months of 2026.
The agreement is also subject to the applicable legislative processes, while the government and Organised Labour are expected to continue discussions on allowances and other public sector compensation reforms.
Estimated salaries of nurses in Ghana
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Nurses and midwives in Ghana receive different salaries depending on their qualifications, ranks and years of service.
Estimated monthly basic salaries range from GH¢2,594 to GH¢11,435 across various nursing positions.
The government approved a 9% increase in public-sector base pay for 2026.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
