Deputy Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, has called for improved remuneration for public sector workers alongside stronger enforcement of professional standards as part of efforts to curb corruption in Ghana.

In an interview on JoyNews' Newsfile on Saturday, August 8, Dr Nyarko Otoo said inadequate wages cannot be completely removed from discussions about petty corruption, although he stressed that poor remuneration does not justify corrupt conduct.

His comments follow concerns over an increase in demands for unofficial payments by public officials, with figures cited during a discussion showing that requests for extra payments increased from 50.9% in the first half of 2025 to 69.4% in the second half of the year.

According to him, the figures point to a worrying trend in which corruption is increasingly driven by public officials demanding additional payments rather than citizens voluntarily offering bribes.

Dr Nyarko Otoo argued that the government must therefore address both the remuneration of public servants and the opportunities available for officials to solicit illicit payments.

“You cannot take low pay out of it,” he said, while acknowledging that low wages alone cannot explain corruption.

He cited findings from a World Bank study on public sector pay in Africa, which examined the relationship between government compensation, motivation, performance and integrity among public servants.

According to Dr Nyarko Otoo, the study observed that when public sector compensation declines, particularly in relation to alternative income opportunities, workers may respond through increased absenteeism, moonlighting and other practices that affect productivity.

He said the same conditions could contribute to petty corruption, including the sale of government services that are not intended to be sold.

Dr Nyarko Otoo, however, emphasised that improving salaries must be complemented by effective enforcement of standards and compliance.

He said public officials must be held accountable for demanding unofficial payments regardless of their level of remuneration.

He also backed measures to reduce unnecessary face-to-face interactions between public officials and citizens, including greater use of digital systems, as a way of reducing opportunities for bribery.

However, he cautioned that such reforms must take Ghana's employment situation into consideration.

He noted that Ghana has a large number of people seeking employment, and measures aimed at eliminating human interaction from public services could have implications for jobs.

Dr Nyarko Otoo further rejected the suggestion that corruption is solely a public-sector problem, arguing that unethical practices also exist in the private sector.

He cited instances involving private businesses and media organisations to underscore the need for a broader national approach to fighting corruption.

For him, "Ghana's response must therefore address both sides of the problem — improving workers' remuneration while closing the opportunities that enable public officials to demand unofficial payments".

He maintained that better pay, stronger enforcement and systems that reduce opportunities for solicitation must work together if Ghana is to make meaningful progress in the fight against corruption.