Court workers across Ghana, including employees of the Supreme Court, have been ordered to remain at home from Monday, November 9, as the Judicial Service strike continues.
The directive was issued jointly by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) and the Senior Staff Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana (SSAJUG).
In a statement released on Sunday, the associations said neither the government nor Judicial Service management had responded to their revised demands, which they described as their final compromise in negotiations over staff conditions.
The statement was signed by JUSAG general secretary Abdulai Yakubu and his SSAJUG counterpart, George Taylor.
The unions said they presented their revised position on Thursday, November 5, following several days of discussions intended to improve employees’ living conditions while taking account of the government’s fiscal constraints.
“The unions communicated their final demand to the government on Thursday, 5th November, 2026, stating that the revised position is the best the unions can come through to improve the living conditions of staff and restore justice delivery,” the statement said.
They added: “As at 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 8, 2026, no official feedback was received from either the government or management of the Judicial Service.”
The stay-away order specifically includes workers at Ghana’s highest court. The Supreme Court sat on Tuesday and Wednesday on the instructions of Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, despite the nationwide strike having begun on Monday, November 2.
“Notice is further served that all staff, including members serving at the Supreme Court, shall stay away from work during the pendency of the strike,” the unions said.
The strike follows an unresolved dispute over the Judicial Service’s 2026 conditions of service. JUSAG had rejected an initial government offer, saying it addressed less than 20 per cent of its demands for substantive approval of the agreement.
The unions have acknowledged a Finance Ministry proposal to pay 10 months of salary arrears from 2026 in two instalments, in November and December.
However, negotiations have remained stalled despite Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine promising immediate action on Wednesday after consulting the Finance Minister.
The associations apologised to litigants and institutions affected by the closure of the courts, but said staff could not continue working under their current conditions.
“While we empathise with the people of Ghana and the institutions who require our services, our present conditions make it impossible for us to render our services,” they said.
They added: “We shall return when our demands are met, and staff are highly satisfied and motivated.”
