Labour Consultant Yiadom Boakye Amponsah has stressed the urgent need to prioritise industrial relations in Ghana as the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) continues its nationwide strike.

Speaking on JoyNews’ News Desk programme on 10 March, Mr Amponsah said: “I think as a nation we don’t take labour relations seriously.”

He likened industrial relations in the workplace to essential vehicle maintenance, adding: “Industrial relations in the work environment are like the oil you put in your vehicle—they are very important.”

Highlighting the need for proactive management, he said: “We should have officers specifically assigned to those roles so that when issues happen, we can ask why this or that occurred.”

He further warned: “We don’t have to wait until workers decide not to go to work before we start finding solutions. Unfortunately, this is the approach we have been taking.”

The strike, which has disrupted civil and local government operations nationwide, is a protest against what CLOGSAG describes as persistent delays in implementing their agreed conditions of service.

The industrial action reflects years of frustration over the government’s failure to implement a unique salary structure and improve conditions of service for civil and local government workers. Mr Amponsah’s remarks underline the importance of proactive engagement with employees to prevent disruptions and ensure the smooth delivery of public services.