[ 2016-08-26 ]

Ghana Gas workers protest poor working conditions
Workers at the Atuabo Gas Processing plant of the
Ghana Gas Company Limited, protesting against
their poor working conditions have vowed not to
rescind their decision until their issues are
addressed.

The workers who form the local union of the
General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical
Workers’ Union today (Friday), demonstrated
against what they say is a failure by the
management of Ghana National Gas company limited
to provide them good working conditions despite
the high risk nature of their job.

“We are demonstrating against the systems that
we find ourselves in; issues bordering on learning
and development, remuneration of the ordinary
employee of Ghana Gas as well as things that we
need to work with. Whenever the engineers are
undertaking any particular exercise at the plant,
you go there and the only language they
communicate in is Chinese. So we ask ourselves,
how can we learn from these guys if they are
communicating only in Chinese?” Chairman of the
workers’ union, Richard Alamu told Citi Business
News.

Citi Business News however understands today’s
demonstration was met with the presence of heavy
security personnel who denied the aggrieved
workers entry into the Atuabo gas processing
facility.

Richard Alamu however says they will not be
discouraged by the development.

He explained that the inability by the management
to grant them their request is due to the lack of
funds which is attributed to the debts owed Ghana
Gas Company Limited by Volta River Authority
(VRA).

“Our company keeps saying that it’s because of
VRA’s indebtedness that is why they are not able
to really do the sort of financial commitment that
they ought to. We are not demanding much.

“What we are saying is that the systems here
ought to work. Management has to come down; they
should make sure that the priority of the ordinary
employee of Ghana Gas is taken care of,” he
stressed.

Strike is illegal

Meanwhile the Ghana National Gas Company Limited
has described the demonstration by its workers as
illegal.

Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager of
the Company, Alfred Obgarmey tells Citi Business
News the company has already engaged the mother
union of the petroleum workers on the concerns of
the workers.

“Unfortunately for them, we advised them against
it and the move will be that they are exposing the
mother union to ridicule in the presence of the
ministerial meeting that happened,” Mr. Ogbarmey
remarked.

He however explains that any decision on the fate
of the demonstrating workers will have to be
determined by the top management.

“I cannot say specifically what decision
management will take on the agitating workers but
whatever action will be decided by the CEO and the
top management and I cannot even anticipate what
they have in mind.”

“But I will expect that the management to take
stringent decision because to allow this conduct
to go unpunished, could be disastrous as well,”
Alfred Ogbarmey added.

Source - citibsinessnews.com

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