Courts across Ghana are back in business. The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) and the Senior Staff Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana (SSAJUG) have suspended the indefinite strike that shut court registries and halted proceedings nationwide since November 2. The suspension took effect on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
What changed
In a statement dated Monday, November 9, the two unions said they had received official correspondence from the Office of the President on the outstanding issues over the review of salaries and related allowances for Judicial Service staff.
The union leaders then met Judicial Service management, led by Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and supported by Supreme Court judge Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang and the Judicial Secretary, to consider a revised approval from government.
"The revised position of the Government largely addressed the outstanding issues," the statement said. The unions said they had in turn submitted a revised position on the commitments from the Presidency "as a final path towards ending the industrial action."
The statement was signed by the National Presidents of JUSAG and SSAJUG, Samuel Afotey Otu and Marilyn E. M. Sutta, according to Graphic Online.
Not over yet
The strike is suspended, not called off. The unions said the suspension is "pending the finalisation of the commitments" from the Office of the President.
Courts told to resume
In a separate statement, the Judicial Secretary directed all staff to resume duties with immediate effect and said all courts would resume normal sittings on Tuesday, the Ghana News Agency reported. The Judicial Service expressed regret over the disruption and apologised to the President, Parliament, the legal profession and court users.
How we got here
JUSAG declared the indefinite strike on October 30, saying government had failed to approve and pay reviewed salaries and allowances for 2026. The union demanded approval and payment in November, along with arrears for January to October, 3News reported.
The strike shut courts from November 2. On Sunday, November 8, the unions extended it after receiving no official response to their revised final demand. On Monday, the Centre for Legitimacy and Rule of Law estimated that more than 2,000 people arrested during the strike had been unable to get court decisions on bail or remand.
The unions thanked President John Dramani Mahama, the Chief Justice, Justice Pwamang, Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine, the Judicial Secretary and Judicial Service management for their roles in resolving the impasse.