Following the completion and submission of the final draft report on the New Pay and Grading reform exercise for the Civil Service, the Personnel Management Office (PMO) in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service spearheaded the validation of this important document during a Virtual Retreat of the Permanent Secretaries held on the 21st and 22nd September, 2020.
In his introductory remarks, Lamin F. Jawara, the Permanent Secretary at the PMO reminded the meeting that Pay Reform is a critical component of the Civil Service Reform Programme 2018-2027 Strategy. As a result, the PMO undertook a review of the current pay and grading structure of the civil service with a view to develop a new grade structure and pay scale. Public Administration International (PAI) with funding from the World Bank was hired to lead the PMO team of trained Job Evaluators to evaluate jobs and develop a Pay and Grading Structure system for the Gambia Civil Service. The work is now complete, and the draft report submitted for review and validation, he said.
He therefore, reminded his colleagues that the session provides them with the opportunity to conduct a thorough assessment of the document, review and validate it in order to ensure all the objectives of the exercise are achieved. At this point, he introduced and handed over to the lead Consultant Mr. Chris Jones to present the key features of the report.
On his part, Mr. Jones, thanked the PMO and the Job Evaluation Team for their commitment and support during the entire course of the project.
He informed PS’s that they were tasked to produce and submit six (6) deliverables to PMO during the course of the project, and he is happy to report that this has been done and accepted by PMO. Consequently, the assignment is now complete and that a new 11 Grade structure is now proposed together with four pay options. The Gambia Government should now work on implementing the outcome of the project so as to bring about the expected reforms.
Following lengthy deliberations on the draft, the meeting agreed to validate the report of the New Pay and Grading Structure. However, the meeting agreed to set up a taskforce comprising of PMO, Accountant General’s Department, Ministry of Finance, Directorate of Internal Audit and the Office of President. This taskforce will critically study all the four (4) pay options identified in the document, recommend for the most appropriate one, and cost it. It will also propose ways and means to fund the recommended option and also propose the best method and time frame of implementation for the New Pay and Grading structure.
By Musa Saho
Communication Officer, PMO
