Courts across Ghana have been deserted following a strike staff of the country’s Judicial Service.
The usually busy precincts of the Court Complex in Kumasi, the country’s second-largest city, where vehicles shuttle lawyers, litigants and others attending the courts were without activity, with stranded court attendees wondering when the strike will be over.
The leadership of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) on Wednesday afternoon summoned members to an emergency meeting and declared the indefinite strike, after ultimatums issued government to address demands for the approval of salary increases and payment of arrears from January 2023 expired on May 19.
The association says it had previously written to President Akufo-Addo to approve the recommendation of the Judicial Council for a review of salaries and related allowances for staff of the Judicial Service in line with Article 149 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
JUSAG also complained about the withdrawal of the Cost-of-Living Allowance in December 2022, amid the economic difficulties in the country, concluding that its members had shown patience enough.
Hours into the implementation of the action, the repercussions are already playing out.
Some of the people who were at court premises looking forward to their cases being called have expressed worry.
Meanwhile, JUSAG is calling on the government to stop intimidating staff by threatening them to open the courts. A task force has also been deployed at various courts to ensure compliance.
JUSAG is urging the government to facilitate the resolution of the workers’ grievances to enable staff to return to work on time.
It also reminded the government that a quicker resolution of the matter would guarantee government revenue as the Judicial Service is one major institution that generates substantial revenue for the government.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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