The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has drawn a clear line in the sand: their ongoing industrial action will not end until the government fully addresses their concerns over the revised conditions of service and ensures that all approved arrangements align with legal requirements.
On Monday, November 9, the airwaves buzzed with anticipation as JUSAG General Secretary Abdulai Yakubu took to the Citi Breakfast Show to clarify the association’s stance. According to Yakubu, JUSAG expects President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that every aspect of the revised conditions of service, as submitted by the Judicial Council, is honored in the final approval. “The President cannot selectively approve provisions relating to the entitlements of Judicial Service staff,” Yakubu insisted.
At the heart of the disagreement is what JUSAG describes as a failure by the President’s approval to fully incorporate 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. 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 explained.
Despite the ongoing standoff, Yakubu offered a glimmer of hope: “We have had an indication that this Monday evening, a communication will come and a meeting will be held. There is hope that our demands will be met so we could announce to the public that the strike has come to an end.”
JUSAG initiated the indefinite strike on Monday, November 2, in response to the government’s failure to approve proposed reviews of salaries and related allowances for Judicial Service staff. The industrial action has significantly disrupted the operations of the Judicial Service, with workers nationwide withdrawing their services over what the association considers unresolved concerns regarding their remuneration and conditions of employment.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com