Some cocoa carriers during a demonstration
COCOA CARRIERS in the Ashanti Region have indicated they will not settle for anything less than GH¢1 as their wage per bag load of coca beans.
According to the Cocoa Marketing Company Limited, in a recent letter it issued, it was willing to offer the carriers 82 pesewas per bag of cocoa beans they carry instead of the 65 pesewas they currently received.
A spokesperson for the cocoa carriers in Kumasi, Raymond Atanga, told the media they will not accept any amount less than GH¢1.
“We just heard that they have suggested 82 pesewas at a meeting in Tema but we in Kumasi are saying that we will not work if we are not given GH¢1. Workers in Kumasi, Tema and Takoradi will not accept 82 pesewas,” he noted.
Other carriers in Takoradi and Tema also embarked on a sit-down strike to demand wage increment and better conditions of service.
This led to thousands of bags of cocoa beans unattended to as at Wednesday at the various warehouses of COCOBOD in the Western and Ashanti regions as a result of the indefinite sit-down strike by the carriers.
The situation, if unattended to for a long time, is likely to cause a break in export of cocoa to the world market over the next couple of weeks, and consequently affect the country’s earnings.
Joseph Bordo, headman for the cocoa carriers, indicated that the indefinite strike was to demand GH¢1.00.
The Ghana Cocoa Board gave assurance it will act swiftly to resolve the grievances of the carriers.
Since Thursday, there has been inconclusive hours of disagreements between the parties at an emergency meeting in Tema in the Greater Accra region.
There were about 5,000 at the meeting chanting songs.
Chairman of the Tema, Takoradi and Kumasi Cocoa Carriers, Abobiga Raymond Atinga told newsmen the strike would continue until an agreement was reached.
“We are not accepting the 82 pesewas and will not go back to work if the GH¢1 is not given to us. The cost of transportation has gone up, rent has gone up, utility bills and living conditions are up.”