The Municipal Chief Executive of Kwadaso Municipality, Eric Assibey, has expressed concern over the impact of the ongoing industrial action by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana.
He said the strike is slowing down operations, affecting crucial activities across various departments in the Assembly.
Mr Assibey noted that many local government workers are CLOGSAG members, which has caused a widespread disruption of services across the municipality.
“Strikes shouldn’t be encouraged in any workplace. In fact, at this municipality, we’re lucky the cleaners are funded through Internal Generated Funds (IGF), so they’re not part of the strike; otherwise, we might not have access to washrooms.
“If someone says the strike hasn’t had any negative impact on metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), that’s not true,” he said.
He explained that as MCE, it is almost impossible to accomplish tasks without the support of staff.
Mr Assibey added that the assembly has seen a steady stream of people seeking essential services, but the lack of workers due to the strike has left many unattended.
He appealed to CLOGSAG leaders to collaborate with the government to find solutions, acknowledging that workers have a legitimate right to voice their concerns.
“I will appeal to the leaders of the striking workers to take into account the financial strain on the government when it comes to meeting the needs of all public sector employees across the country. So when they sit for a roundtable discussion, they should consider and cooperate with the government because the government won’t intentionally do anything to bring hardship on them,” he said.
Mr Assibey expressed confidence that the government, through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the Ministry of Finance, will address CLOGSAG’s demands soon, allowing workers to call off the strike and resume their duties.
“I humbly urge our President, whom I trust greatly, to lend an ear and resolve the strike issue immediately so workers can return to their jobs. Otherwise, crucial municipal work might be delayed,” he added.
A visit to the Kwadaso Municipality on the third day of the strike revealed that only the MCE’s office was open, with all other departmental offices closed, underscoring the strike’s full impact on local governance.
