Institutions and Workers Paid by CAGD on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) – Full List
The Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is the unified pay system under Ghana’s Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP).
It applies to most public service workers as defined in Article 190 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
The goal is to ensure equity, transparency, and “equal pay for work of equal value” across the public sector by placing jobs on a single 25-level grade structure with common base pay and relativities.
fairwages.gov.gh
Institutions and Workers Covered by SSSS
The SSSS covers public sector employees in the following main services and institutions (derived from Article 190 and SSPP implementation):
- Civil Service
- Judicial Service
- Audit Service
- Ghana Education Service (GES) — including teachers and education workers
- Ghana Health Service (GHS) — including doctors, nurses, and other health workers
- Parliamentary Service
- National Fire Service
- Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) components, specifically:
- Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS, now part of GRA)
- Local Government Service (including district assemblies and related staff)
- Police Service
- Prisons Service
- Statistical Service
- Immigration Service
- Legal Service
- Other public services established by the Constitution
- Public corporations that are not set up as commercial ventures
- Any additional public services as may be prescribed by Parliament
Additional institutions have been migrated onto the SSSS over time (e.g., Ghana News Agency, National Theatre, Ghana Law School, and some civil employees of the Ghana Armed Forces in specific categories).
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) oversees job evaluation, grading, and migration of institutions onto the structure.
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Payment by CAGD (Controller and Accountant-General’s Department)
The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) handles centralized salary payments for the vast majority of public servants on the SSSS via the government payroll (often called the “mechanized payroll”).
This includes:
- Civil servants
- Ghana Education Service staff
- Most other public servants under the SSSS
CAGD processes monthly salaries, wages, and related payments for these workers.
Some specialized agencies or institutions may have partial autonomy, but the bulk of SSSS payroll flows through CAGD.
Exclusions or separate arrangements exist for certain groups (e.g., fully commercial public corporations or specific security/military elements).
Key Exclusions from SSSS
Not all public sector workers fall under SSSS. Main exclusions include:
- Ghana Armed Forces (military personnel) — though some civilian staff may be covered
- Holders of public office under Article 71 of the Constitution (e.g., President, Vice President, Ministers, Members of Parliament, certain judicial officers, etc.)
- Some security and intelligence agencies in full
Additional Notes
- The SSSS has 25 levels (grades) with multiple steps/pay points.
- Base pay is negotiated annually between government and labor unions (via the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee).
- Recent adjustments include:
- 10% increment (2025)
- 9% increment (2026)
- Allowances are partly harmonized or paid as market premiums/inducements for critical skills or underserved areas.
For the latest salary charts, check the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission website (fairwages.gov.gh), which publishes annual SSSS PDFs.
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