The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Abdul-Rashid, has urged members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to suspend their nationwide strike immediately.
The minister appealed for dialogue while assuring workers that government officials remain committed to addressing their concerns.
During an interview, Mr. Pelpuo explained he had initiated conversations with key institutions involved in resolving the dispute.
He said he engaged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the leadership of CLOGSAG to fully understand the union’s demands.
According to him, the government recognises the frustrations of public sector workers and intends to handle the matter through negotiations.
Mr Pelpuo emphasised that dialogue offers a more productive path than prolonged industrial action that disrupts essential services.
He also revealed that he had held discussions with Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson regarding the concerns raised by the union.
Those discussions, he said, produced a firm commitment from the finance ministry to support efforts aimed at resolving the dispute.
The labour minister stressed that government officials want to avoid confrontational negotiations driven by pressure from ongoing strike actions.
He illustrated his concern by describing negotiations that resemble someone carrying a log behind another person while threatening sudden confrontation.
According to him, such pressure-filled environments rarely encourage meaningful discussions capable of producing lasting solutions for workers and government alike.
Mr. Pelpuo admitted that communication between the National Labour Commission, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and CLOGSAG had broken down earlier.
He explained that both institutions struggled to establish meaningful engagement with the union before the strike action began nationwide.
The minister also acknowledged that he became aware of the strike only after workers had already withdrawn their services.
Meanwhile, CLOGSAG Executive Secretary Isaac Bampoe confirmed that a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission ended without agreement.
He revealed that the meeting lasted roughly one hour on March ninth but failed to produce any clear breakthrough.
Mr. Addo explained that the union’s National Executive Council had not taken any decision to suspend the industrial action.
According to him, workers remain determined because authorities have not presented a detailed roadmap for resolving the issues behind the dispute.
Despite the tension, Mr. Pelpuo encouraged union leaders to trust the government’s assurances and return to negotiations.
