The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has served notice that its members will withdraw their services effective Thursday October 28, 2021 over poor conditions of service.
The Association stated that it had given the government a 1st October ultimatum to implement the Judicial Council’s decision on their salaries and allowances but no effort has been made. He indicated that the strike will be a nationwide strike because it is a decision by the National Executive Council.
“We can’t tell how long it will take. It will be determined by how the government deals with the issue. We have gone beyond dialogue. We don’t eat dialogue but we are the fruits of dialogue and we have already dialogued, and we are waiting for the fruits of it”.
Alex Nartey
Addressing the media on Monday, October 18, 2021 in Accra, the National President of JUSAG, Alex Nartey, said members of JUSAG are dissatisfied, leaving the leadership with no other option than to resort to a strike to press home their demands.
“A couple of weeks ago, we interacted with stakeholders and with you regarding the ultimatum we issued to government. The idea was that within the two weeks, stakeholders will see how concerned judicial service staff are and take steps to resolve the issues that are bothering our minds”.
Alex Nartey
Two weeks ultimatum expired
Alex Nartey indicated that the two-week ultimatum expired last Friday, the 15th without any signs from government as to what it is doing about the recommendations that the judicial council has waved to government in line with the 1992 constitution.
Mr. Nartey said as a result, the national executive council of the Association had to meet last night and at the meeting reached a conclusion that, it must serve notice to the Labor Commission in line with the rules and regulations under our labor regime.
“And for that matter, our meeting is to the effect that, staff of the judicial service unlike other public services under the 1992 constitution have our salaries and other allowances determined by the judicial council with prior approval of the President of the Republic of Ghana”.
Alex Nartey
Mr. Nartey revealed that government as far back as October, 18, 2019 had undertaken to review the salaries and other allowances of the staff of the Judicial Service, for same to be implemented in 2021.
“As we interact with you, the Judicial Council in accordance to the constitution as well as the Supreme courts decision, in the case of Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) verse the Attorney General and two others unreported have concluded on the salaries and other allowances for the approval of the President of the Republic of Ghana”.
Alex Nartey
Today’s presser follows its earlier warning to the government, giving them a two-week ultimatum, to resolve salaries and allowances issues. But since all stakeholders have failed to reach an understanding, the association has resorted to its earlier stance.
The leadership of JUSAG insists they have not had positive feedback from the government, hence the decision to lay their tools.
