Bui Dam workers demonstrate

About 1,200 workers working on the Bui Hydro Power Dam in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana have embarked on a demonstration Thursday morning December 18, 2008.

Speaking to Asempa News in an interview, some aggrieved workers complained of inadequate wages and unfavorable working conditions.

According to the workers, an artisan receives a daily wage of GH¢3, while a labourer is paid GH¢2.50, unfortunately, they noted, these are even in arrears.

An artisan at the site (name withheld) who is also partaking in the demonstration, told Asempa News that the artisans had a meeting with the TUC officials at the site some weeks ago and it was agreed that each artisan and labourer should be paid at least, a daily wage of GH¢5 and GH¢4.50 respectively, but management have refused to go by the agreement.

Today’s demonstration is to put pressure on management to effect the payment of the new wages aforementioned, otherwise the project would be abandoned.

Information reaching the Asempa News desk indicates that the management went into an emergency meeting to deliberate on the plight of the workers. All efforts to reach them for further information proved futile.

When the Energy Minister, Felix Owusu Agyepong, was contacted, he said he had no information about the said demonstration and promised to hold talks with management at the Bui Hydro Dam.

Credit: Afia Amankwaa

Source: myjoyonline