The Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association (GHATSEA) has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in an escalating labour dispute at the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), accusing management of intimidation, coercion and victimization of workers.

In an open letter dated yesterday, Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Association alleged that months of disagreements over working conditions and staff welfare had created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty within the Authority.

GHATSEA specifically accused the GCAA Director-General, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, of failing to engage workers meaningfully to resolve outstanding grievances.

“Rather than fostering a collaborative environment for resolving industrial concerns, the Director-General has resorted to intimidation, coercion and victimization of association leaders and members who seek to advocate for the legitimate interests of association members,” the Association alleged.

The latest petition has brought renewed attention to a labour dispute that has persisted for more than a year, involving threatened industrial action in 2025 and January 2026, as well as the subsequent interdiction of GHATSEA President, Engr. David Annan Mensah.

GHATSEA is calling on President Mahama to investigate its allegations and intervene to ensure that workers’ rights are protected in accordance with Ghana’s labour laws.

The Association said the alleged conduct of management was not only damaging relations between workers and the Authority but could also have wider implications for Ghana’s aviation sector.

It warned that declining staff morale and strained labour relations could affect productivity and the efficient delivery of critical aviation services.

At the centre of the Association’s latest complaint is the continuing interdiction of its president.

According to GHATSEA, Engr. Mensah has been on interdiction since March 3, 2026, allegedly over a threat of industrial action.

“As it stands, the President of GHATSEA has been on interdiction since 3rd March 2026 and remains interdicted to date for allegedly threatening industrial action,” it said.

The Association described the interdiction as “unjust and disproportionate”, arguing that the issues being pursued by its leadership concerned legitimate workplace grievances affecting its members.

As of September 1, 2026, the GHATSEA president had therefore remained away from his substantive duties for almost six months.

GHATSEA also accused the GCAA Director-General of involving National Security personnel in what it described as a labour-related matter.

The Association alleged that National Security personnel accompanied Rev. Arthur to the workplace at about 11:30 p.m. while some GHATSEA members were on duty.

It described the alleged incident as an unlawful involvement of National Security in a labour dispute and urged President Mahama to investigate the circumstances.

“The details surrounding what we consider to be the unlawful involvement of National Security in a labour-related issue were comprehensively outlined in a letter addressed to your office dated 3rd February 2026,” GHATSEA said.

The Association said it had received no response to its earlier correspondence.

It said the alleged incident, together with the interdiction of its president and other actions by management, had deepened a sense of fear among workers.

The latest confrontation follows a series of disagreements between GHATSEA and GCAA management over working conditions, salary administration, job placement and staff welfare.

In January 2026, GHATSEA issued a formal strike notice after accusing management of failing to resolve longstanding concerns despite several rounds of dialogue, mediation and arbitration.

The Association threatened to withdraw its services if the outstanding issues were not resolved by January 15.

Among its demands were the implementation of recommendations contained in what it described as the Dr Imoro Report, action on a Promotional Needs Petition submitted in July 2025, and changes to the management of the Authority’s human resources function.

The dispute had previously escalated in October 2025 when GHATSEA announced plans for an indefinite nationwide strike over unresolved grievances, some of which it said had persisted for more than 15 years.

The threatened industrial action was particularly significant because GHATSEA members are Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEPs), responsible for maintaining critical communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management systems that support aircraft operations.

The Association says its members install, maintain, calibrate, test, and certify electronic and meteorological systems used by air traffic control.

GHATSEA, originally established in 1976 as the Aeronautical Telecommunications Technicians Association, is affiliated with the International Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations.

Ahead of the threatened strike on October 30, 2025, the GCAA activated a contingency plan and assured airlines and the travelling public that air traffic services within the Accra Flight Information Region would continue safely despite the proposed withdrawal of services.

The strike was eventually suspended following negotiations involving GHATSEA, the GCAA Governing Board, and management.

Interestingly, following those discussions, GHATSEA publicly commended Rev. Arthur, who was then Acting Director-General, and the Acting Deputy Director-General (Technical), Theophilus Aryee Ago, for their role in the negotiations.

The Association expressed optimism that the outstanding issues would receive lasting attention.

By January 2026, however, relations had deteriorated again, with GHATSEA claiming that the assurances given after the October negotiations had not resulted in a satisfactory resolution of its concerns.

The Association is now urging President Mahama to investigate the allegations, facilitate a resolution of the dispute, and ensure that workers’ rights and established industrial relations principles are respected.

The allegations made by GHATSEA have not been independently established based on the material provided.