Judicial Service workers calls off strike
- Marian Efe Ansah & Kojo Agyeman | Citifmonline
- May 22, 2015
- 3 min read
The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana(JUSSAG) has called off its nationwide strike after a crunch meeting with officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The nationwide strike which took effect on May, 19, 2015 was to protest their unpaid allowances.
Activities in the various courts across the country subsequently came to a standstill following the industrial action.
The situation also left lawyers and their clients across the country stranded.
Citi News’ Fred Djabanor who earlier visited a number of courts in Accra reported that there was virtually no activity there.
He reported that the visibly frustrated people who thronged to the court to have their cases settled were disappointed to see most of the court rooms locked.
A frustrated client who earlier spoke to Citi News said : “I have a judgement against SGSSB and they brought it to the Supreme Court and today being the ruling day, I have come here to have the case finally ruled for me and I am facing this frustration because the Judicial Services Staff are not around… I have been here for almost two and half hours ago.”
The Minister of Labour had earlier criticised JUSSAG for taking such a decision, saying they acted in bad faith since they had scheduled to resolve the matter at a meeting on Thursday.
“I assured them that if they go to my office tomorrow [Thursday] morning at 10:30 I would have shown them the warrant but I assured them further that by the time they’d taken their salaries for May that would have also been resolved and paid to them,” he said.
The National President of JUSSAG, Alex Nartey said they decided to call of the strike because government has shown enough commitment that their arrears will be paid.
He confirmed that the decision was taken after their checks at the Controller and Accountant General`s Department confirmed that their allowances have been paid to the Account Department of the Judicial Service.
He stated “what has happened today is heartwarming. We have eventually had a breakthrough. Our checks at the Ministry of Finance , the Controller and Accountant General`s Department and the Bank of Ghana reveal that an action have taken and our concerns have been resolved and so our members are hereby directed to resume work on 8:30am effective Friday 21, 2015″
“What we are left with is for the Judicial Service Account Department to issue various cheques to effect payment to individual members. That entail some processes and between now and Tuesday 26, 2015 I am sure we will receive our monies,” he added
The Minister, for his part, told Citi News that the Finance Ministry has paid what is due members of JUSAG.
“We indicated to JUSAG with some evidence that their demand was being processed by the Ministry of Finance , the Controller and Accountant General`s Department and the Bank of Ghana,” he said.
“I am happy to inform you that Bank of Ghana have accordingly through the Ministry of Finance and government made released to the Judicial Service part of which will be used to defray the outstanding allowances of JUSAG.”
He expressed his gratitude to the leadership of JUSAG for acting in good faith and called on individual members of JUSAG to return to work in order for the Judicial system to work effectively.
Source: Citifmonline.com
By: Marian Efe Ansah & Kojo Agyeman
