Audio By Carbonatix
Judges, lawyers and their clients across the country have been left stranded following an indefinite strike by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana over unpaid allowances.
The Association announced the strike, Tuesday, which was to take immediate effect.
The workers say all attempts to get government to pay them their allowances which have been in arrears for months have proven futile.
Shortly after a meeting with the Labour ministry on Tuesday over the matter ended in a deadlock, President of the Association Alex Nartey announced the strike.
He said all workers were supposed to stay home except the security officers at the various courts.
The strike will be in force until their allowances are paid, he insisted.
On Wednesday, Joy News found the strike was taking a heavy toll on judges, lawyers and their clients, all of whom came to court to settle one case or another.
In Accra Joy News' Kwakye Afreh Nuamah said activities in the courts have come to a standstill.
He said scores of clients had converged at the gates of the courts and were initially not allowed entry.
They were later allowed entry but only as far as the court premises with no trace of any activity within the courtrooms.
Some of the clients said they had come all the way from Sunyani to attend to their cases and were pretty much disappointed.
Lawyers have not been left out of the distress. NDC lawyer Abraham Amaliba said the strike is having a negative toll them.
Another lawyer said when strikes like this occur, clients normally blame the lawyers as deliberately delaying the case when really it is not their fault.
The situation in Kumasi is no different, Luv FM's Prince Appiah has reported.
With red flags hanging on some buildings on the court premises, Appiah reported the court rooms have been deserted.
In Wa, the strike is also having a negative impact on court processes. A Wa High Court judge, Justice Kofi Boakye, told Joy News' Rafiq Salam judges are not part of the strike but they have been affected.
"As for the judges we are not on strike, we are working but the whole place is empty. I cannot go to the court room because the support staff are not here," he pointed out.
President of the Judicial Staff Association of Ghana Alex Nartey said government has not shown any commitment to paying their allowances, except failed promises.
He said there has been a planned meeting with government again on Friday and hoped something positive will come out of it.
Joy News is learning the Chief Justice is trying desperately to intervene in the matter.
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