The Ministry of Finance has dismissed reports indicating that government has made further adjustments to the base pay for public sector institutions on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

This follows reports circulating on some social media outlets that government has granted a 15% increase in base pay for public service.

But the Public Relations Unit of the Finance Ministry in a press statement released on July 27, indicated that the "government has not granted any 15% increase in base pay to any public sector institution on the Single Spine Salary Structure and that the only adjustment on the Base Pay for the public service still remains the 4% for the 2021 financial year."

According to the statement, the misunderstanding is as a result of the Ministry's letter dated July 12, 2021, on the payment of fifteen per cent (15%) interim premium to the staff of the Civil and Local Government Services (CLOGSAG).

In view of this, the Ministry of Finance clarified, that this is not a new agreement as it has been in existence since 2016 and fully implemented in 2020.

"Since the interim premium of 15% is on the base pay, it became necessary to do the relevant adjustments to reflect the negotiated 4% increase in the public sector base pay for the 2021 financial year," the Ministry added.

The Ministry further noted that as part of its communication to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department on implementation of the Agreement on the 2021 and 2022 Base Pay, it authorized the payment of premium and its associated arrears to CLOGSAG for 2021 in line with the existing agreement.