State attorneys’ strike cripples court proceedings
Activities at the courts in Accra and other state institutions moved at a snail’s pace Tuesday following the nationwide strike embarked upon by state attorneys.
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State attorneys yesterday began an indefinite nationwide strike until their demands for unpaid allowances and improved conditions of service are met.
All cases being handled by state attorneys had to be adjourned because the attorneys did not report to court.
Only criminal cases being prosecuted by the police were heard by the courts.
The situation was not different at the Registrar-General’s Department, where members of the public had thronged to transact business.
Persons affected by the strike expressed their disappointment at the turn of events but said they were hopeful that the situation would be brought under control before the end of the week.
Other areas affected by the strike are Attorney-General’s Department, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Land Title Registry, the Council for Law Reporting, the Copyright Office, Legal Aid, as well as departments and agencies where the services of state attorneys are required.
Crunch meeting
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, government officials and the leadership of the state attorneys were in a crunch meeting as of the time of going to press.
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The meeting was aimed at resolving the issue.
Nature of the demands
The striking state attorneys are demanding the harmonisation of their salaries and benefits with those of judges at the lower courts, with effect from 2012.
The next issue, according to them, was the non-payment of their fuel allowances for the past six months.
Clothing and leave allowances for state attorneys had also not been released by the government for the past seven months.
Pension scheme
They are also demanding to be placed under the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme.
According to them, that should have happened since January 2015 but that was yet to be done.
They are further demanding protection in their offices and at the courts, since they could easily be targeted and attacked by the people they prosecute.
Sunyani
Kwame Asiedu-Marfo reports from Sunyani that the strike did not affect court sittings in the Sunyani municipality.
All the five High courts, two district courts and the two circuit courts in Sunyani and Fiapre sat to hear cases.
An officer of the Judicial Service, Nana Akwasi Wusu, explained that the strike had affected those clients who had no money to acquire the services of lawyers and depended on state attorneys.
A Sunyani-based private legal practitioner, Mr Bright Obeng-Manu, told the Daily Graphic that the strike had not affected court sittings and that there were some state attorneys at the courts.
Tema
Proceedings at the High and the Circuit courts in Tema went on smoothly, writes Benjamin Xornam Glover.
When the Daily Graphic visited the courts at Community One, the High Court and the Circuit courts A and B were busy, with police prosecutors, lawyers and litigants all going about their duties.
The Registrar of the High Court, Mr Labaran R. Suleman, when contacted, said news of the strike by state attorneys came as a surprise to him.
Kumasi
From Kumasi, Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports that the strike brought activities at the Attorney-General’s Department to a standstill yesterday.
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A visit to the A-G’s office saw the place deserted, with only the administrative staff on duty, while red bands had been hung in the offices of the lawyers, signalling that they were on strike.