The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the government over the ongoing strike by Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), accusing it of failing to prioritise the welfare of public sector workers.
He has questioned why the government has allowed Ghana’s justice delivery system to suffer disruption over unresolved concerns involving the welfare and conditions of service of Judicial Service employees.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Friday, November 6, 2026, the Effutu MP expressed concern about the impact of the industrial action, arguing that the situation reflected what he described as the government’s lack of urgency in addressing workers’ grievances across key public institutions.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the disruption of judicial services is particularly worrying, given the importance of the justice system to the effective functioning of the state.
“How can a whole justice delivery system be shut down because government does not see it as a priority?” he asked.
The Minority Leader drew parallels between the Judicial Service strike and labour-related concerns in other sectors, particularly education and healthcare, where teachers and nurses have also raised concerns about their welfare.
According to him, the recurring labour disputes involving public sector employees point to a broader failure by the government to adequately address the concerns of ordinary Ghanaian workers.
“This government doesn’t seem to care about the welfare of the ordinary worker. Teachers are complaining, nurses are complaining, and now Judicial Service staff. So the government does not see it as a priority,” he stated.
He further criticised what he considered a contradiction between the government’s discussions about reparations on the international stage and its handling of workers’ welfare issues at home.
Referencing discussions on reparations in Antigua, Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the government should demonstrate similar commitment to addressing domestic obligations, including the concerns of civil servants.
“We are talking about reparation in Antigua, yet at home, your own domestic workers, civil servants, you can’t pay them,” he said.
The Minority Leader subsequently called for an urgent intervention to bring the industrial action to an end and restore normal operations within the Judicial Service.
He specifically urged the Attorney-General to appear before Parliament to brief lawmakers on the situation and provide an update on efforts to resolve the dispute.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called on the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, James Agalga o ensure that the Attorney-General is scheduled to address the House without delay.
“The Attorney General must be programmed by the Leader of Government Business to come and urgently apprise this House. Speaker, that is very critical,” he stressed.
His comments add to growing political concerns over the disruption of judicial services and the broader implications of unresolved labour disputes within Ghana’s public sector.
The strike by JUSAG has raised concerns about the potential impact on court operations, the administration of justice and access to judicial services for members of the public.
The Minority Leader’s intervention places renewed pressure on the government to engage the affected workers and address their outstanding concerns to facilitate an early resolution of the dispute.
By 1960news.com
