Some staff of the Ghana Railway Company Limited took to the Ministry of Transport with placards of various inscriptions to seek redress of their grievances.
According to them, despite the availability of a said 20.6 million cedis from the sale of obsolete railway materials, which they say was promised to settle 10 months of the arrears, the funds have not been released as was directed by President Mahama in October last year.
Some of the staff in highlighting the impact the delay in payment is having on their daily lives said, “Our company has reached an age where we need revival, but that doesn’t mean that the ministry should just collapse the sector. Monies have been gained, instructed by the president to be given out, yet lies have been given to us that it has gone to consolidated funds. For how long? What is the money doing there? While workers are still suffering. Not even a month or two to even ease our pressure.”
The General Secretary of the Ghana Railway Workers union, Benjamin Essuman explained that three out of the 853 workers have passed on as a result of delay in payment.
“Due to delay of sending the money, we lost our three workers. We are asking them, this is not new. The meetings we have had with them as the leader of the workers, what they told me is 20.6 million. In the account, they came to Takoradi when we had a Management meeting with the Ministry and our authority.”
He further called on government to honour their promise.
“They informed us that 20.6 is there. They gave us one week. Maybe that’s the first week of this mandate. They are going to pay. Up to now, they are still pleading.”
Meanwhile, the Chief director of the Transport Ministry, William Kartey assured the group that latest by next week, their issues will be resolved.
“The process has begun and the process will work till the end. We do believe that by the end of next week, we do believe we will receive some kind of response from the Ministry of Finance. And it will be based on that, that we can determine that by this date or next date, you will be paid.”
The recent demands for payment of arrears by the railway workers has raised new concerns about the financial sustainability of the sector.
The railway sector continues to be under serious threat following unchecked encroachment, illegal activity, and institutional neglect.
By Samuel Yeboah Adams
