Gov't's ex-parte injunction on workers' strike is cowardice, bad faith - Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has taken a swipe at the government for going to the court to secure an injunction at the "blind side" of striking workers.

According to him, the move by government is a breach of trust which is borne out of “cowardice and bad faith”.  

An Accra High Court on Friday, October 31, granted an ex-parte application filed by government and ordered public sector workers across the country to call off their strike and return to work immediately.

Twelve worker unions – Ghana Medical Association, Registered Nurses Association, Ghana National Association of Teachers, Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Coalition of Local Government Staff Association of Ghana, etc – called a strike last week in protest against government's decision to choose a trustee to manage their tier two pension contributions.

The two-week-old strike has brought partial or complete shutdown of most public institutions in the country. 

The government, which initially filed a suit praying the High Court to declare the indefinite strike illegal and that the workers should return to work, later indicated it was prepared to withdraw the suit and dialogue with the workers' leadership. 

But before that case is determined, an ex-parte application was sent to court by the government, which has been granted.

Speaking Saturday on weekly news analysis program, Newsfile on Joy FM, Mr. Baako expressed surprise at government's sudden U-turn in the midst of the circumstances.  

“I am surprised that the government within the circumstances we find ourselves…before we could say jack we are told the same government has gone to the court to secure an ex-parte injunction.”

“It is driven by bad faith and it's cowardly,” he remarked.

The veteran journalist, therefore, feared the development could create a situation that may lead to a “protracted industrial agitation”.

Government retorts
Reacting to the comments, Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu “strongly rejects the notion that this action connotes cowardice and bad faith”. 

He said the government was compelled to take the action to protect the interest of the Ghanaian and prevent them from suffering further.

“They [striking workers] had violated even the commitment to come back to the table.”

That notwithstanding, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the government remained committed to resolving the issues that resulted in the strike.

He insisted: “As a government we have made a call that we believe is in the interest of Ghanaians”.

“It doesn't mean that we are not committed to addressing the source of the issue that resulted in the strike”. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Jerry Tsatro Mordy | [email protected]