The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has stated that its members will not call off their ongoing strike until the government addresses their concerns over the revised conditions of service and ensures that the approved arrangements conform with the applicable legal provisions.
JUSAG expects President John Dramani Mahama to guarantee that the revised conditions of service submitted by the Judicial Council are fully reflected in the final approval, arguing that the President cannot selectively approve provisions relating to the entitlements of Judicial Service staff.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, November 9, JUSAG General Secretary Abdulai Yakubu explained that the disagreement centres on what the association considers a failure by the President’s approval of the revised conditions of service to fully reflect the provisions of Constitutional Instrument 141 (CI 141).
"Where the law provides that ABC should be given to Judicial staff, in our humble opinion, it is not for the President to pick and choose out of that and so what was approved did not conform with the provisions of CI 141, as was recommended by the Judicial Council and to that extent, we indicated that the President’s approval should be revised to meet what has been given to staff by law," Yakubu said.
JUSAG indicated that a communication and a meeting would be held on Monday evening, hoping that its demands would be met so the strike could end and the public could be informed of the resolution.
The indefinite strike began on Monday, November 2, after the government failed to approve the proposed review of salaries and related allowances for Judicial Service staff. The industrial action has disrupted the operations of the Judicial Service, with workers withdrawing their services over unresolved concerns regarding their remuneration and conditions of employment.
What follows is a potential meeting between JUSAG leadership and government officials, with the possibility of a revised approval that aligns with CI 141. The outcome will determine whether the strike will conclude and judicial services resume normal operations.
