Workers of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) have stormed the Ministry of Transport in a heated protest, demanding the immediate release of funds to settle 13 months of salary arrears.
Displaying their grievances on placards, the angry staff accused the Ministry of foot-dragging regarding the disbursement of GH¢20.6 million funds accrued from the sale of obsolete railway materials.
According to the workers, President John Mahama directed the release of the money in October last year to cover ten months of their outstanding salaries, yet the funds remain locked up, which they say is taking a severe toll on them.
Some protesters vividly described their struggles, with one staff member lamenting, “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 situation has turned dire for some.
Benjamin Essuman, General Secretary of the Ghana Railway Workers Union, revealed that three of their 853 colleagues have passed away while waiting for their dues.
“Due to the delay in sending the money, we lost our three workers,” Essuman stated.
He reiterated that the GH¢20.6 million figure was confirmed during a management meeting in Takoradi involving the Union, the Ministry, and the Railway Authority.
“They informed us that 20.6 is there. They gave us one week… They are going to pay. Up to now, they are still pleading,” he added.
In response to the protest, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport, William Kartey, moved to calm tensions, assuring the workers that their grievances were being processed.
“The process has begun, and the process will work till the end,” Kartey said.
“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 the next date, you will be paid.”
