The new salary structure for the staff of the judicial service, which will take effect in July 2023, has the approval of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
In May of this year, members of the Judicial Staff Association of Ghana put down their tools for good in protest of the government’s failure to review salaries and approve a new salary structure. JUSAG engaged the Ministry of Finance and then put the strike on hold while they continued to discuss their concerns and wait for a resolution.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was praised by the JUSAG in a press release issued on Monday, July 17, 2023 and signed by JUSAG President Samuel Afotey Otu.
“We are reassured by the letter of Her Ladyship Honourable Chief Justice dated 13th July 2023 which confirms that His Excellency the President of Ghana has approved the new salary structure, and implementation will be done in the month of July 2023 as indicated by the Ministry of Finance at the close of engagement,” Mr Afotey Otu indicated.
“We are further gratified by the commitment of the Honourable Chief Justice to see to the passage into law a Judicial Service Regulation (Constitutional Instrument) in accordance with Article 158(2), 159, and the case of JUSAG vs The Attorney General &2 Ors (2016). We hope that comprehensive work on the CI will bring an end to the biennial strikes associated with salary reviews,” JUSAG further stated.
Below is the full release by JUSAG:
IMPLEMENTATION OF REVIEWED SALARIES AND RELATED ALLOWANCES FOR STAFF OF THE JUDICIAL SERVICE
(1) The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) wish to congratulate the Honourable Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkonoo on her assumption of office as the 15th Chief Justice and 3rd Lady Chief Justice to head the third arm of Government.
(2) Her assumption of office coincided with the difficult periods during which JUSAG was battling with Government over review of salaries and related allowances for staff of Judicial Service and the Lower Bench for 2023-2024 years.
(3) Though the process had been challenging, we are glad that her ingenuity and exceptional leadership with the support of other stakeholders led to conclusion of the engagement on the 15th of June 2023 with an understanding that implementation of the reviewed salaries will take effect in July 2023.
(4) We are reassured by the letter of Her Ladyship Honourable Chief Justice dated 13th July 2023 which confirms that His Excellency the President of Ghana has approved the new salary structure, and implementation will be done in the month of July 2023 as indicated by the Ministry of Finance at the close of engagement.
(5) We are further gratified by the commitment of the Honourable Chief Justice to see to the passage into law a Judicial Service Regulation (Constitutional Instrument) in accordance with Article 158(2), 159, and the case of JUSAG vs The Attorney General & 2 Ors (2016). We hope that comprehensive work on the CI will bring an end to the biennial strikes associated with salary reviews.
(6) The National Executive Council (NEC) of JUSAG wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to our mother Chief Justice for the good start, and to the immediate former Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah for his efforts. We shall work with her and Management to rebrand the Judicial Service and build upon the successes chalked by the Judiciary and the Judicial Service over the years.
(7) We equally wish to extend our felicitations to His Excellency the President of Ghana, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Employment Relations, the
JUSAG, Justice and Fair Play!
