The National Identification Authority (NIA) has pledged to clear all outstanding Operational Support Allowance arrears owed to its staff from January to June 2025, following the end of an indefinite strike that halted services nationwide.
Services resumed at NIA offices across the country on June 30 after the strike action, initiated over delayed payments, was brought to an end through intervention by the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Finance.
In a statement reinforcing the payment timeline, the NIA confirmed that arrears will begin to be disbursed in July, with all outstanding balances settled by the end of August.
“The arrears from January to June will be paid in July. But as was in the statement, in July and August the staff should expect the arrears to be paid,” said Dorah Badu Acheampong, Head of Media Relations at the NIA.
The strike, which had caused a nationwide suspension of identification services, was deemed unlawful by the NLC. In a directive issued on June 27, the Commission stated that divisional unions did not have the legal mandate to declare a strike, ordering staff to return to work immediately.
NIA workers have since complied, restoring operations across its service centres. The Authority’s leadership has indicated that discussions with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, were instrumental in breaking the impasse and committing to the payment schedule.
The NIA says it remains focused on stabilising operations and ensuring staff welfare concerns are addressed through appropriate channels. The resolution of the strike is expected to ease public frustrations over delays in accessing national identification services, which are essential for a range of public and private transactions.
