Former employees of the defunct State Hotels Corporation are renewing calls for the payment of their end-of-service benefits, more than a decade after a court judgment reportedly ruled in their favour.
In a petition to the Presidency and the Ministry of Finance on October 27, 2026, the former workers appealed for the immediate release of their outstanding compensation, saying some beneficiaries have died while others are struggling with illness and financial hardship.
The workers’ demands stem from the divestiture of state-owned hotels between 1990 and 1999, including the former Ambassador Hotel, now Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel, and the Continental Hotel, now Lancaster Hotel, among others.
According to the group, a court judgment was delivered in their favour in November 2012, with the initial claims covering about 1,200 beneficiaries. However, they say years of verification and administrative processes have delayed payment.
According to the consultant for the former employees, Nani Welbeck, “Some of our people are battling illnesses and can no longer afford medication and hospital bills, while others have died without receiving their benefits.”
For Jomo Yakubu, who the group says led the legal action, the delay has become a personal struggle. He is reportedly suffering from a terminal illness and says the money is needed to cover his medical expenses.
The former workers say their payment documents have passed through several stages of processing at the Ministry of Finance, but the compensation remains unpaid.
The Ministry’s Director of Human Capital Administration, Cynthia Arthur, has acknowledged their concerns and assured them that the matter will be addressed.
The former employees are demanding urgent action, warning that they may return to press their demands if the outstanding benefits are not paid.
Kuzagbe Efua Bernice
