The International Institute for Productivity and Public Management (IPPUM) with the mandate to help address productivity issues in Ghana and other African countries has been launched in Accra.

IPPUM aims to conduct labour research, strengthen capacities of businesses and to disseminate findings to interested parties to bolster productivity growth and management efficiency in both private and public sectors.

Founding President of IPPUM, George Smith-Graham has said the idea to start the Institute came about when he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

He said under his leadership, government paid a huge sum of money to the public workers when productivity in the public sector was still at its lowest.

“The question everybody keeps asking is how possible can public services pay to be linked to productivity,” he added.

He said, “Research shows that linking pay to productivity is highly possible as there are indicators that can be used to achieve this goal and that is what IPPUM is here to do."

Mr Smith-Graham said the Institute will carry out research and translate discoveries into practical procedures to enhance productivity and efficiency in public management.

“As an Institute we believe that promoting and achieving productivity in the public sector can have a positive spillover effect on other sectors and ultimately drive private sector growth,” he said.

Meanwhile, IPPUM in collaboration with FirstBanC and Strabsnet held a maiden colloquium on productivity and public management themed, “Moving Ghana to a Higher Middle Income Economy: The Role of a Productive Workforce.”

President of Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), James Asare-Adjei said IPPUM has been set up at the appropriate time to help rump up the country's productivity.

“We are in a country where the more we pay people, the less they deliver," he said, adding change will not be seen if the status quo should be allowed to continue.

Some experts present took to the lecturn to share findings of their studies covering resource governance, the performance of local enterprises, credibility in governance, economic behaviour, health insurance, illegal mining, and productivity.