Some of the aggrieved workers
Haulage drivers of the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) at Awaso in the Bibiani Anhwianso Bekwai Municipality of Western Region have protested against what they termed as maltreatment meted out to them by management of the firm.
The workers, numbering over 200, also protested against poor conditions of service.
The aggrieved workers burnt tyres and chanted war songs to register their displeasure to management who they accused of failing woefully to address their problems over the past 10 years.
“We have not been giving appointment letters since we started working for GBC as haulage drivers.”
“So you can imagine what we go through when some of us get accident, the officials don’t think about us, even when you are sick you have to pay your own hospital bills,” a worker added.
“In fact these things are giving us severe headache and we want the authorities of the country to hear our concerns,” they lamented.
One of the spokespersons of the workers, Ellis Buadu stated “we have worked continuously for seven to eight years and we are still termed as temporary workers, and there is no compensation when a worker is injured.”
“GBC has never thought of our welfare, they are only enjoying with their families and we are also dying, no incentives, no working leave,” he added.
He indicated that the local union has tried several times to negotiate with the management of company over issues that would benefit the workers, but to no avail.
“We are appealing to President Akufo-Addo to listen to our pleas and call the authorities to order,” he pointed out.
As at the time of filing this report, the aggrieved workers had reported to work after management reiterated its commitment to resolving their problems.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi