The Minority caucus in Parliament has taken the Mahama administration to task over its failure to implement the reviewed terms and conditions of employment for members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG).
The staff union has declared an indefinite strike effective Monday, 9th March—a development expected to grind activities to a halt across various public sector institutions.
During interviews with journalists at Parliament House, MPs expressed sharply divergent views along partisan lines. While members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) threw their weight behind the labour action, demanding swift intervention, their National Democratic Congress (NDC) counterparts called for calm, expressing confidence that the government would resolve the issues.
The NPP lawmaker representing Effia, Isaac Boamah Nyarko, took aim at the government’s selective approach to settling arrears, which he argued has held back entitlements for civil servants. He described the development as unjust, stressing that workers deserve their negotiated benefits regardless of fiscal conditions. “It is clear that CLOGSAG is troubled by the government’s erratic pattern in handling salary arrears and service conditions across the board. When authorities pick and choose which institutions to settle—possibly driven by fear of protests or industrial action—civil service claims end up being postponed. That is deeply regrettable, especially because these are benefits they have earned, irrespective of how the government chooses to frame the economic situation,” he stated.
On the opposing side, the NDC MP for Twifo-Atti-Morkwa, David Vondee, expressed disappointment over the planned strike and appealed to CLOGSAG to reconsider. He noted that discussions were already underway to address their grievances. “It serves no one’s interest for state workers to down tools. I appeal to CLOGSAG to exercise patience. His Excellency President Mahama is committed to resolving every outstanding matter, and I am confident things will fall into place. The relevant authorities will step in shortly, and normal duties will resume,” he assured.
Echoing similar sentiments, the MP for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere Duah, also appealed for restraint, pointing out that the current administration inherited these challenges and is making efforts to address them. “While public servants may not immediately enjoy all the benefits they anticipate, their circumstances have generally improved under this government compared to the past. The administration is dedicated to fulfilling prior commitments, though full implementation will require more time. Patience and understanding are therefore urged, as steady progress is anticipated,” he remarked.
