The Centre for Legitimacy and Rule of Law (CLRL) has warned that the ongoing strike action by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) is effectively legitimising severe human rights violations against suspects and accused persons across the country.
The industrial action, which commenced on Monday, 2 November 2026, has brought judicial business to a virtual standstill, causing all lower and higher courts—with the exception of the Supreme Court—to suspend sittings.
According to the CLRL, the shutdown is compounding an already overburdened court system plagued by chronic delays and constant adjournments.
Research conducted by the legal advocacy organisation indicates that more than 2,000 people have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service since the strike was declared. These individuals have consequently been denied their constitutional right to a judicial determination on bail or remand.
The group further highlighted that several accused persons previously remanded with specific return dates now face indefinite detention without any realistic avenue to seek their freedom.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio’s flagship news programme Nyankonton Mu Nsem on 87.5FM, Head of Legal at CLRL, Richard Nii Amarh, described the development as a grave issue that requires immediate executive intervention.
“The strike by JUSAG is a major issue that the government ought to address with immediate effect,” Mr Amarh stated, adding that while the 1992 Constitution requires arrested or detained persons to be brought before a court within 48 hours, the shutdown has turned that fundamental guarantee into a far-fetched luxury.
Mr Amarh also appealed to the striking judicial staff to adopt a flexible stance during negotiations.
“JUSAG must be considerate and understand that they may not get all they are demanding. Should the government make genuine efforts to deal with some of their grievances, they ought to consider it,” he noted.
To arrest the worsening humanitarian crisis in police holding cells, the CLRL called on the President, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Justice, and the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations to treat the dispute as a national emergency.
The organisation urged the Inspector General of Police to issue a directive instructing all police investigators to grant administrative bail in minor offences to decongest cells nationwide.
Additionally, the group requested the Chief Justice to set up specialized emergency courts—comprising High Court Judges assisted by Circuit or District Court Judges serving as registrars—to handle urgent bail applications during the industrial action.
The CLRL also appealed to Parliament to consider enacting a comprehensive Bails Act to address such crises. The group noted that Ghana’s current bail framework relies primarily on the Criminal Procedure Act of 1960 (Act 30), which has largely been shaped by judicial practice over decades rather than modern legislative safeguards.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
