GPHA Ex-workers To Picket At WorldBank Office

A section of the frustrated workers at the press meeting. INSET: Lord Laryea addressing the media while some ex-workers looks on.

Over 5,000 ex-workers of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), who were declared redundant in 2002, have threatened to picket at the World Bank Office to force authorities to pay them their severance packages.

The ex-workers are made up of 1,500 permanent workers who voluntarily retired and 4,194 non-permanent workers who were laid off by the then management of GPHA.

According to them, the permanent workers who voluntarily retired received some packages that they were unhappy about while non-permanent workers were yet to receive their share.

Lord Nsiah Laryea, Convenor of the ex-workers, who spoke at a press conference held by ex-workers at the Ashaiman Government School to express their grievances, announced that they would picket at the World Bank Office and the GPHA head office as a last resort to demand their severance package.

Mr Laryea challenged the World Bank, which they believe bore the full cost of the retrenchment and restructuring of the port in 2002, to openly disclose the amount allocated to each former worker.

He stated that even though the 1,500 ex-permanent workers received between GH₵30 and GH₵5,800, two bags of rice, two bags of sugar, and a gallon of cooking oil, they were aware management of the GPHA then shortchanged them.

Mr Laryea said several legal actions from the High Court to the Supreme Court and petitions to Parliament, CHRAJ, Chief Justice and the Presidency have yielded no result.

He appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to hasten interventions that would lead to the payment of their severance packages.

Mr Laryea stressed that if they do not hear any favourable interventions from the President, they would be compelled to picket at the World Bank and GPHA offices.

According to him, more than 600 of the former workers have lost their lives because of stress and frustration over the issue.

“Our situation has worsened and they must pay us what is rightfully ours,” he stated.

Stephen Ashitey Adjei, leader of the 4,194 non-permanent ex-workers, told the media that they were yet to receive any concrete communication from the Presidency after several petitions.

He questioned why Parliament and the Presidency could not treat their issue with the urgency and importance they attach to the payment of ex-gratia to ministers and Members of Parliament without any litigation.

Most of the former workers are dying, our marriages are falling apart and we cannot educate our children and have a place of abode due to the treatment meted out to them by their former employer, Ashitey Adjei said.

He reminded government that their efforts to fight social vices would yield no result if people like them do not receive their severance packages.

GNA