NLC orders GHA staff to suspend strike

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has instructed employees of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to halt their current strike.

GHA workers began an indefinite strike on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, to protest the National Roads Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1118). They argue that the Act, which proposes merging the GHA with the Department of Urban Roads and the Department of Feeder Roads, could diminish the Authority’s independence and lead to excessive bureaucracy.

Central to the workers' demands is the removal of two key officials: Ing. I.K. Mensah, Chairman of the GHA Board, and Ing. Collins B. Donkor, CEO of the NRA. They claim that these officials have played a role in decisions undermining the sector's integrity.

This protest follows a petition sent to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, urging for wider consultation before the Act’s implementation.

In a statement released Tuesday, the NLC highlighted that GHA workers should suspend their strike while discussions continue. The Commission noted that during caucus meetings, it became apparent the workers hadn’t adhered to the Labour Act, 2023 (Act 651), in planning their strike.

Consequently, the NLC instructed the Ghana Highway Authority, Senior Staff Association, and the Divisional Union of Construction and Building Materials Workers Union (CBMWU-TUC) to comply with the proper procedures and to put a hold on all industrial actions in the meantime.