NLC orders Ghana Highway Authority workers to suspend ongoing strike action

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed workers of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to suspend their ongoing strike, which began on Tuesday, November 12.

The strike was initiated in protest against the implementation of the National Roads Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1118).

The GHA workers have voiced strong opposition to the new legislation, arguing that it would merge the GHA with the Department of Urban Roads and the Department of Feeder Roads, a move they believe would undermine the Authority’s independence and lead to increased bureaucratic inefficiency.

At the core of the dispute is a demand for the removal of two top officials: Ing. I.K. Mensah, the Chairman of the GHA Board, and Ing. Collins B. Donkor, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Roads Authority (NRA). The workers accuse these officials of failing to engage stakeholders adequately before advancing the implementation of the new Act.

The NLC’s directive comes after the GHA workers formally petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, requesting broader consultations on the implications of the National Roads Authority Act.

The workers expressed concerns that the lack of dialogue on the Act’s implementation could disrupt operations and negatively affect road infrastructure management in the country.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NLC emphasised the importance of resuming negotiations while urging the GHA workers to halt their industrial action. The Commission highlighted that the workers had not adhered to the required legal procedures for embarking on a strike as stipulated under the Labour Act, 2023 (Act 651).

“The respondents—Ghana Highway Authority, Senior Staff Association, and the Divisional Union of Construction and Building Materials Workers Union of GHA (CBMWU-TUC)—are to adhere to due process,” the statement noted.

“While awaiting compliance with due process, respondents must suspend any and all industrial action,” the NLC’s statement further directed, stressing the need for dialogue to resolve the impasse.

The NLC's intervention is expected to pave the way for continued negotiations between the GHA workers and government representatives, as both parties work towards addressing the concerns raised by the staff while ensuring that critical road infrastructure projects remain unaffected.