Workers engaged under the ‘Youth in Afforestation’ programme of the Forestry Commission have demonstrated at the commission’s head office demanding the payment of their salary arrears.
The disgruntled workers say they have gone six months without pay with numerous assurances of payment failing to be met and since a fresh promise of payment by Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Chief Executive Officer of the Commission on December 4 failed to bear fruits they had to picket to drum home the seriousness of the problem.
Corporate Affairs executive at the commission, Joyce Ofori Kwafo acknowledged the challenges however stating that monies have been transferred to GCB Bank for disbursement to the workers’ ezwich accounts but salary payments go through processes, and hence the delay.
“I can say the salaries have been transferred for onward payment to the workers but these things go through a process. However I can assure that they should get their monies before Christmas,” she submitted.
She said GHc20 million had been released for the month for some 37,000 beneficiaries.
The youths who were recruited on a two-year contract to plant trees in forests such as those at Achimota and Klagon in Accra say their allowances have been slashed from GHc1,200 to GHc700 compounding their difficulties.
By Michael Eli Dokosi