Court users in Kumasi have been left stranded after judicial service staff in the Ashanti Region joined the nationwide strike by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) over salary reviews and outstanding arrears.
The Kumasi High Court, Court of Appeal, Asokwa Circuit Court and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Court were among the facilities closed as the industrial action disrupted court operations on Monday, November 2.
A visit to the courts found the premises largely deserted, with no judicial staff available to attend to court users who had arrived to access legal services.
Some litigants who had cases scheduled for hearing were turned away after finding the court gates locked and marked with red cloth to signal the strike.
One of the affected court users, Joyce Konama, said she had travelled a considerable distance to attend proceedings at the High Court, where her case was scheduled for judgment, only to find the facility closed.
She said she was unaware of the industrial action and called on the government to expedite negotiations with the staff association.
“I didn’t know they were on strike today, and I am very worried after travelling all the way from my town to find the court closed. The government should fast-track negotiations on their conditions of service,” she said.
Other affected court users also appealed to the government to address the concerns of judicial service staff, warning that prolonged industrial action could disrupt access to justice.
The strike follows JUSAG’s concerns over its 2026 salary review and outstanding arrears, with the action resulting in the closure of court facilities in parts of the country.
