The Ministry of Finance has sanctioned the disbursement of ten months of outstanding salaries and allowances owed to employees of the Judicial Service and members of the Lower Court Bench, in a significant development amid an ongoing industrial dispute that has disrupted judicial operations across the country.
The outstanding payments, which accumulated following the introduction of revised conditions of service, are to be released in two separate instalments, with the first tranche covering the period from January to May 2026 and expected to be paid in November.
The subsequent instalment, representing salary and allowance arrears for June through October 2026, is scheduled for disbursement in December.
In an official correspondence dated November 2, 2026, and signed by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Ministry instructed the Controller and Accountant General to undertake the necessary administrative and financial arrangements to implement the approved payments.
The Ministry explained that the revised conditions of service received presidential approval in accordance with Article 149 of the 1992 Constitution and became effective on January 1, 2026.
The financial clearance comes at a critical moment for the judiciary, as members of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) continue an indefinite strike over outstanding remuneration and related concerns.
The industrial action has affected operations at several judicial facilities nationwide, with the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Accra Circuit Court and selected District Court offices reportedly locked, while security personnel have restricted access to some court premises.
The disruption has consequently raised concerns about the continued delivery of judicial services and the ability of the courts to discharge their responsibilities without the administrative and operational assistance ordinarily provided by striking personnel.
Supreme Court Maintains Tuesday Sitting Despite Disruption
Amid the industrial unrest, the Office of the Judicial Secretary has announced that the Supreme Court will proceed with its regular judicial business on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
A notification issued on Monday, November 2, disclosed that the decision followed a directive from the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, requiring the apex court to proceed with its scheduled proceedings.
The communication, signed by Judicial Secretary Musah Ahmed, formally notified lawyers and parties involved in cases before the Supreme Court that the court would convene as planned.
It stated that, acting on the instructions of the Chief Justice, all legal practitioners and parties with pending matters before the court were being informed of the scheduled sitting on Tuesday, November 3, and were expected to make the necessary arrangements.
The notice further urged counsel and litigants whose cases had been listed for hearing to take cognisance of the directive and conduct themselves accordingly.
The Finance Ministry’s approval of the outstanding remuneration represents an important development in the dispute, particularly as the industrial action continues to affect the administration of justice.
Nevertheless, the payment authorisation does not expressly establish whether all the demands presented by JUSAG have been satisfied. Neither does the correspondence clarify whether the association has agreed to call off its strike following the approval.
Consequently, uncertainty remains over whether the two instalment payments will be sufficient to secure an immediate resolution of the dispute and restore the full complement of administrative services within the Judicial Service.
The next significant development will therefore depend on JUSAG’s response to the government’s payment arrangement and whether its leadership considers the approved disbursement adequate to warrant the suspension of the ongoing industrial action.
