Former Head of the Civil Service, Dr Alex Glover‑Quartey, has called for a dramatic increase in the salaries of senior public servants, arguing that the current pay structure is incompatible with the responsibilities entrusted to them.
In an interview with Kafui Dey, Glover‑Quartey recounted his early days in office when he met with representatives of the World Bank and the United Kingdom to lobby for a monthly salary of about US$2,500 for Chief Directors.
He said the proposal initially shocked the foreign officials, but he pointed out the absurdity of giving a ministry chief over a million dollars to manage while paying him roughly US$400 a month.
"I was trying to convince them to pay salaries that were ahead of, I said, roughly $2,500 a month to chief directors. And they looked shocked," he said. "And I said, look, you are giving the chief director of a ministry over a million dollars to manage, and you are paying him $400 a month. Is it wisdom? Well, they saw it."
Glover‑Quartey warned that low pay creates conditions that make corruption and abuse of office harder to contain, and that Ghana cannot expect civil servants to manage substantial public resources without being exposed to temptation.
He also questioned the practice of providing extensive utility benefits to senior officials when their salaries are inadequate, suggesting a review of electricity, water and telephone allowances that could be abused.
The Single Spine Salary Structure, managed by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, is meant to promote equity and transparency, but Glover‑Quartey argues it falls short for top‑tier officials.
His remarks reignite the debate over whether public‑sector remuneration in Ghana adequately reflects the responsibilities of senior officials and what reforms are needed to strengthen integrity and efficiency in public administration.
Glover‑Quartey, who led the Civil Service from 2003 to 2006, has long advocated better treatment and working conditions for public servants, linking service delivery quality to how those implementing government policies are supported.
