Zoomlion workers not paid paltry salaries for several months
The Greater Accra Presiding Members Conference on Wednesday, demanded answers from officials of the Zoomlion Company Limited over their inability to pay some of their workers for over six months.
The 25 Presiding Members (PMs) from the various Metropolitans, Municipals and District Assemblies in the Region say Zoomlion’s inability to pay its workers is negatively affecting sanitation in their localities.
They raised the concerns after a presentation was made by the Communication Team of Zoomlion on its operations during an ongoing three-days annual conference of the PMs.
“Our records show that for the past six to seven months Zoomlion workers in the MMDAs have not been paid making it difficult for them to discharge their sanitation duties, “one of the PMs stated.
Another PM retorted, “You make people suffer for nothing and expect them to deliver, and you come telling us you have built their capacity, building their capacity without paying them?”
The PMs, who were not happy about the salary delays said it was sad that after performing tedious tasks including pulling of tricycles filled with garbage, their meager salaries were not paid for months.
They called for a review of the GH¢100 monthly salary given to sweepers as according to them that was unacceptable and too small for the type of work they do.
Mr Abdullah Nii Odai, Presiding Member for the Okaikwe North Municipal Assembly, expressed misgiving at the piling of refuse on the George Walker Bush highway.
Mr Odai indicated that piles of garbage could be there uncleared for over two weeks forcing some residents to burn them.
He said the Assembly would assess Zoomlion’s operations in the Municipality and terminate their contract if found to be unimpressive.
Mr Daniel Ohene Obeng, Senior Communication Officer, responding to the questions said four out of the seven months salaries of affected workers have been released by the company and was expected to hit their accounts by the close of the week.
Mr Obeng explained that the delay was due to the inability of government to settle its debts with the company.
He added that “government still owes Zoomlion and sometimes Dr Agyepong have to take bank loans to pay workers making us to owe the banks a lot”.
Source: GNA