GRC Workers’ Pay Arrears Released

AS promised by President J.A Kufuor, the two months salary arrears of workers of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC) have been paid.

The President made the promise when he met the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and the workers union during the May Day celebration.

The cheque covering the salaries for April and May was released yesterday by the Ministry of Harbours and Railway.

Disclosing this to the Times on Thursday, the Sector Minister, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, said a letter accompanying the cheque requested management of the GRC to devise prudent measures to generate money to pay salaries.

He said if the workers have been working for the past two months, then the company would have enough funds to pay salaries for this month.

"It is not proper for the minister to always go and look for money to address the needs of the GRC workers and paying their salaries. This cannot continue indefinitely and I want to say that this will not happen for the month of June," the minister declared.

He said due to the over six weeks strike by the workers for better working conditions, the company's financial resources had been affected, particularly as the Ghana Bauxite Company and Ghana Manganese Company, the company's major sources of income, withdrew their offer of jobs.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi advised the management of GRC to meet with the two mining companies and re-negotiate to win the contracts back.

Last month, during the May Day celebration, the President invited the IMC of the workers union of the GRC to the Castle, where he had a discussion with them, on their agitations and grievances.

According to Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, who led the team to the Castle, the President expressed worry about the workers industrial action which could affect the finances of the company.

The President reportedly told the IMC members that managing a corporate entity like the GRC was not an easy task and advised the workers to exercise restraint in whatever they do.

The meeting also discussed the challenges facing the GRC and the way forward.