By Florence Afriyie Mensah
Kumasi, June 11, GNA – Workers of PBC Limited have renewed their call on President John Dramani Mahama to fulfil his promise of revamping the struggling cocoa-buying company, citing worsening hardship, unpaid salaries and operational challenges.
The workers recounted that President Mahama, during his campaign trails. pledged to restore stability, strengthen operations, ensure workers were treated fairly and paid promptly for the PBC to assume its position as a leading licensed buying company and major player in the cocoa industry in Ghana.
Mr. Osbert Baffoe Ansah, the Chairman of the PBC Professional and Managerial Staff Union, addressing a press conference in Kumasi, said those assurances gave workers hope that the company’s fortunes would improve.
However, nearly two years into the administration, the employees’ situation has worsened.
The Chairman lamented that, “workers have gone without salary payment for twenty-seven months, with deductions also remaining unresolved in many cases.
“This has placed workers under severe financial strain affecting basic family needs, transport costs, medical expenses, and school-related obligations.
Casual workers, who are employed for operational needs, have also endured prolonged delays in payment for over thirty-six months, at a maximum allowance of GH₵350.00 per month.”
He lamented that casual workers had been among the hardest hit.
According to Mr. Ansah, such long-term arrears were unacceptable and undermined livelihoods, trust in management, and industrial harmony.
He spoke of inadequate operational funding, which continued to affect productivity and service delivery.
“There is persistent underfunding for operations, resulting in disruptions to normal operations and service delivery. This has caused poor planning and increased uncertainty among workers regarding job security and operational continuity,” he complained.
Mr. Ansah further expressed concern about the government’s takeover of the Buipe Shea Processing Factory, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PBC Limited.
“The union wishes to put on record our concerns about the government takeover of the 100 percent owned Buipe Shea Processing Factory, while leaving the associated debt burden on the company and executive management.
We are therefore calling on the government to either return the facility to PBC Limited or take over the debt associated with it,” he emphasised.
The Chairman urged President Mahama to intervene urgently to prevent the collapse of the company and ease workers’ current hardships.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Florence Afriyie Mensah