The industrial action, which began on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, followed months of unsuccessful negotiations with the Ministry of Finance regarding the payment of the Operational Support Allowance—the only supplementary benefit available to NIA staff.

The suspension was announced in a public notice issued on Sunday, June 29, and signed by the NIA’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Williams Ampomah E. Darlas.

Mr. Ampomah explained that the decision followed extensive engagements with key stakeholders, including the National Labour Commission (NLC), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Finance, and the leadership of the PSWU.

“Management acknowledges and appreciates the good faith demonstrated by the Union and wishes to assure all staff that their legitimate concerns remain a priority and will continue to receive the urgent attention they deserve,” the statement added.

The NIA also expressed regret over any inconvenience caused during the period of industrial action and thanked the public for their patience and understanding.

The Authority has assured that all its offices and registration centres nationwide will resume full operations on Monday, June 30, 2025.

It further reaffirmed its commitment to delivering quality, efficient, and reliable identification services to Ghanaians in fulfilment of its national mandate.

Read NIA’s statement below:

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The Head of Corporate Affairs at the NIA, William Ampomah Darlas, made the call during an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme.

Mr. Ampomah expressed the NIA leadership’s solidarity with the staff and assured them that efforts are being made to resolve their concerns.

“I want to assure them that we are with them, but due to the nature of their work, I will appeal for them to reconsider their decision and return to work, and we promise that they will get their money,” he said.

NIA staff across the country began an indefinite nationwide strike on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in protest over delayed allowances and unresolved compensation issues.

According to the workers, the industrial action comes after months of failed negotiations with the Ministry of Finance over the payment of their Operational Support Allowance—the only supplementary benefit available to them.

The strike, if prolonged, is expected to significantly disrupt key NIA services nationwide, particularly the issuance of Ghana Cards. This could further strain public service delivery and mount additional pressure on government to respond swiftly to the workers’ demands.

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The industrial action is due to the government’s failure to approve their scheme of service, leading to a breakdown in their working conditions.

According to JoyNews‘ Anass Sabit, the affected members of the public, who need their Ghana Cards for various purposes, are appealing to authorities to intervene.

This NIA’s decision comes in response to ongoing frustrations over the employer’s failure to implement a newly approved scheme of service.

In a notice released on Sunday, October 6, the aggrieved workers outlined that their decision to strike stems from the NIA’s inability to uphold its commitment to implementing the agreed-upon scheme of service.

They expressed deep dissatisfaction with the situation, asserting that the delay undermines their rights and expectations as employees.

The workers have made it clear that they will not halt their industrial action until the promised scheme of service is put into effect.

They believe that the failure to act on this matter is not only a breach of trust but also a significant threat to the welfare of all members of the union.

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This follows a meeting between NLC and the staff on Wednesday.

But the Deputy General Secretary of the Public Sector Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress, representing the NIA workers, John Sampa has said they are ready for the negotiations.

However, the strike would only be called off after meeting with its leadership for a final resolution.

“We think that we want peace, we are ready to call our members to comply with the directive, I’m unable to say here now we have called off the strike action. Because I’m representing people, we’re going to call them, we will put our options on the table, we will deliberate upon it and the decision that we will take, we will communicate to Ghanaians.

“We’re ready to dialogue, as long as we see the commitment on the government’s side that the same way workers of other institutions have been treated, workers of NIA also deserve better,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Director of Salary Administration at the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Cephas Amada has assured they will continue negotiations in good faith.

The strike, which began on Monday, June 10, 2024, was announced on Sunday by the Public Services Workers Union, citing poor conditions of service and the government’s failure to address negotiation delays and institution-specific allowances.

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The strike, which began on Monday, June 10, 2024, was announced on Sunday by the Public Services Workers Union, citing poor conditions of service and the government’s failure to address negotiation delays and institution-specific allowances.

The union noted that it had postponed an initial strike notice in March 2024, following the intervention of the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.

Despite this, the government’s lack of progress in the negotiation process has compelled the union to proceed with industrial action.

As a result, all NIA offices, including district, regional, and premium centres, have ceased operations, leaving applicants frustrated and in limbo.

Many had travelled from distant areas, urgently needing the Ghana card, but are unable to do so due to the strike.

In interviews with the media, affected applicants expressed their distress, highlighting the critical importance of the Ghana card for various activities and how the strike will severely impact their plans.

Applicants are now urging the government and relevant authorities to address the NIA’s concerns promptly.

They fear the effects of the strike will only worsen with time if a resolution is not reached soon.

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