Musah Ahmed urges JUSAG to suspend planned indefinite strike

The Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, has issued a formal appeal to the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) to suspend its scheduled indefinite strike, which is set to begin on Monday, November 2, 2026. The association's move to strike follows the government's delay in approving and implementing a long-awaited salary review for Judicial Service employees. Ahmed's intervention comes as management seeks to prevent a complete shutdown of the nation’s courts, citing the potential for significant disruption to the administration of justice and the rights of citizens across the country. In a press release dated October 31, the Judicial Secretary emphasized that management is actively engaging with government stakeholders to resolve the dispute equitably. He acknowledged the frustrations of the staff but urged them to prioritize the national interest and their constitutional duty to ensure uninterrupted justice services. According to Ahmed, discussions regarding the 2026 salary review are ongoing, and management remains committed to finding a fair resolution through good-faith negotiations with the relevant authorities. However, JUSAG leadership remains firm in their stance, citing a lack of concrete progress from the government side. General Secretary Abdulai Yakubu expressed skepticism over a last-minute meeting scheduled by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations for the day the strike is meant to commence. Yakubu noted that the invitation did not include representatives from key stakeholders, such as the Office of the President, leading the association to question whether the meeting would result in a meaningful outcome. JUSAG is demanding the immediate implementation of the Judicial Council’s salary recommendations, which were supposed to be approved by the end of October. The association is specifically pushing for the payment of revised salaries and accumulated arrears covering the period from January to October 2026. As the strike deadline approaches, the tension between the Judicial Service management and its workforce highlights a significant challenge for President John Mahama’s administration in managing labor relations within the justice sector. If the strike proceeds, it will halt court operations nationwide, delaying legal proceedings and affecting the delivery of justice across all levels of the judiciary.