The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), has decided to press on with its nationwide strike following a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday.

This decision comes despite an appeal from the Minister of Labour, Jobs, and Employment, Mr Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo, urging the association to end the industrial action.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, CLOGSAG’s Executive Secretary, Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, revealed that the NEC had unanimously agreed to maintain the strike due to the government’s failure to provide a concrete solution to their concerns.

“After deliberating on the request, the NEC was unanimous on the following: that the strike should continue; that the request by Mr Abdul-Rashid H. Pelpuo lacks a roadmap for the resolution of the matter,” Mr Bampoe Addo stated.

The strike was initially triggered by CLOGSAG’s objection to the appointment of Mr Samuel Adom Botchway as Registrar of the Births and Deaths Registry. The association argues that the role should remain politically neutral and that appointing politically exposed individuals undermines the civil service’s impartiality.

“… That as long as all politically exposed persons within the Civil Service and the Local Government Service are sanctioned and ultimately have their appointments terminated, it would not be fair for politically exposed persons to be appointed into the Civil Service and the Local Government Service,” Mr Bampoe Addo added.

Despite mounting pressure from the government and the disruption to administrative services nationwide, CLOGSAG remains firm in its demand for the government to address its grievances before members return to work.

However, the strike has exposed divisions within the association, as the Local Governance Service Workers’ Union (LGSWU) has officially distanced itself from the industrial action. In a statement released on Friday, the union cited an ongoing legal case as the reason for its withdrawal.

“For these reasons and upon further consultations by the National Management Committee with all the regional councils, the Local Government Service Workers’ Union has taken a unanimous decision not to join the strike action,” the LGSWU said, directing its members to continue working as usual.

In response, the government has reiterated its appeal for CLOGSAG to reconsider its stance and return to the negotiation table.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, defended the controversial appointment and urged CLOGSAG to end the strike.

"We believe that the President has acted correctly in the appointment of Mr Adom Botchway, so we would appeal to CLOGSAG to rescind its decision to go on strike," Mr Kwakye Ofosu said.

For now, the standoff continues, with CLOGSAG maintaining that the strike will persist until the government provides a clear path toward resolving their concerns.