Management of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) and the workers have reached an agreement to resolve the impasse over salary adjustments for 2026, bringing weeks of tension to an end.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding reached between the NLA and the Financial Business and Services Employees Union (FBSEU), workers will receive a 12 per cent increase in their basic salaries, effective January 1, 2026.
The parties have also agreed to increase the utility allowance from eight per cent to 10 per cent.
The agreement means workers will be entitled to arrears arising from both the salary increment and the adjustment in the utility allowance from January 2026 until the revised rates are implemented on the payroll.
The breakthrough follows a deadlock in negotiations over the 2026 salary increase, which culminated in industrial action by workers earlier this month.
The union had initially pushed for a 17 per cent salary increase, while Management maintained that the Authority’s financial position could only support a 12 per cent increment.
The disagreement was further complicated by concerns among workers over a reduction in their take-home pay following adjustments to the application of statutory income taxes.
The NLA had explained that the tax adjustments followed concerns raised over the application of income tax to salaries and allowances, while Management maintained that it had absorbed historical tax liabilities running into millions of cedis.
The workers, however, argued that the resulting reduction in their net salaries made a higher salary adjustment necessary.
Following the impasse, the matter was referred to the National Labour Commission for arbitration. Subsequent efforts by the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission paved the way for fresh negotiations between Management and the union.
The Memorandum of Understanding states that the 12 per cent increase will apply to workers covered by the agreement for the 2026 calendar year.
Management and the union have also agreed that the adjustment in the utility allowance, representing an additional two percentage points, will take effect from January 1, 2026.
As part of efforts to address the gap in workers’ net salaries, the parties have further agreed that an additional one per cent will be considered alongside any percentage increase in basic salaries during the 2027 salary negotiations.
The agreement also commits the parties to work together to ensure the timely calculation and payment of all arrears.
The NLA and the union have pledged to respect the terms of the agreement and resolve any future disagreements over its implementation through consultation and the appropriate statutory dispute-resolution mechanisms.
The deal brings an end to a dispute that had raised concerns over staff welfare and working conditions at the Authority and had threatened to affect its operations.
Future salary negotiations, however, are expected to take into account the financial position of the NLA, with the agreement making clear that the settlement relates specifically to salary and utility allowance adjustments for 2026.
By Eric Mawuena Egbeta
