NIA Workers Embark on Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Operational Support Allowance
Operations across Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA) have ground to a halt as workers embark on an indefinite strike demanding the immediate resumption of their Operational Support Allowance (OSA)—a critical income supplement suspended since the start of 2025.
Damian Owusu 
Operations across Ghana’s National Identification Authority (NIA) have ground to a halt as workers embark on an indefinite strike demanding the immediate resumption of their Operational Support Allowance (OSA)—a critical income supplement suspended since the start of 2025.
The industrial action, declared on June 24, 2025, by the NIA Division of the Public Services Workers’ Union (PSWU) under the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has paralyzed vital identification services nationwide. The timing is particularly disruptive, with thousands depending on Ghana Cards for banking, SIM card re-registration, public exams, and more.
The OSA was the product of negotiations concluded in July 2024, with payments beginning the following month and continuing through December. However, disbursements abruptly ceased in January 2025 without explanation. Union leaders allege that despite “multiple assurances” from both the NIA and the Ministry of Finance, workers have not received clear timelines or guarantees for resumption.
“This allowance is not a luxury,” one union representative emphasized. “It is the lifeline that makes our jobs viable amidst rising living costs.”
NIA management has acknowledged workers’ grievances and held discussions with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. Still, they stress that payment can only resume once the Ministry of Finance commits to a disbursement plan in writing. In the meantime, management has appealed for patience and a return to duty—an overture rejected by the union.
The strike's effects extend far beyond NIA premises. With biometric services suspended, institutions relying on the Ghana Card for verification—including banks, telecom providers, and electoral offices—face mounting delays. For many Ghanaians, this disruption revives painful memories of past administrative breakdowns.
