The Finance Ministry has directed the Controller and Accountant General to henceforth pay salaries of pharmacists based on the single spine structure while negotiations continue.

Government and Hospital pharmacists have been contesting their grading on the new pay structure and market premium for the past two years. They have also been complaining in distortions in their salaries.

The pharmacists allege some of them are still receiving as low as Ghc 100 when they are supposed to be paid over Ghc1, 000 a month.

Several attempts by the National Labour Commission to resolve the stalemate between the pharmacists and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, have been unsuccessful.

Last month, the Pharmacists petitioned the President warning of dire consequences if the impasse was not resolved by the end of January, 2013.

Controller & Accountant General, Raphael Tufuor said they will comply with the directive to pay the Pharmacists.

He told Joy News the pharmacists should expect the money by the end of January.