Striking NIA staff vow ‘aluta continua’ till demands are met

The strike by staff of the National Identification Authority across the country is to be sustained until concerns about conditions of service and other matters are addressed.

Members of the Divisional Executive Council of the Public Service Workers’ Union (PSWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Ghana, National Identification Authority (NIA) Division, who maintain the position, have vowed not to return to work.

The Council Secretary, Kwabena Adu Kyeremeh, says staff of NIA for the past 15 years have been working without a scheme of work.

He said the Government of Ghana represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, National Identification Authority, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Ministry of Finance and their collaborators have blatantly defied a Pre-Negotiation condition provided for in section 2 (v) of the Rules of Engagement.

Speaking RGG News’ Agyenim-Boateng Adaye, Mr. Kyeremeh said that Government Team’s posturing and reluctance in granting the NIA, Institution Specific Allowances and failure on the part of management to implement the approved scheme of service for the staff of NIA following the announcement of its approval on March 22, 2024 have necessitated the strike action.

He added that “What will bring us back to our offices will be when we have a memorandum of understanding indicating clearly a roadmap as to what they will do in terms of our demands.”

“Until the government and management respect the policy framework enacted to guide the administration of public institutions, and the Labour laws of this country, we would not return to our various offices at the instance of these financial and economic hardship that the staff of NIA are experiencing.

We demand that allowances tabled before Government and our scheme of work should all be concluded. Additionally, all our allowances should be backdated to the day of our appointment,” he said.

The Divisional Executive Council of the Public Services Workers’ Union (PSWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), National Identification Authority (NIA) division declared a nationwide strike effective Monday, June 10.

This follows a council meeting held on the 23rd of May, where a unanimous decision was reached.

The strike was initially planned for the 24th of March but was deferred following intervention by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.