CP Workers Threaten Court Action

THIRTY EX-WORKERS of Construction Pioneers (CP) in the Central Region have threatened to drag their former employer (CP) to court if they are not paid their retrenchment entitlements as agreed upon at a meeting held in Cape Coast in December, last year.

At the meeting between officials of CP and their solicitors, the District Labour Officer, the Workers Representatives and their solicitor, the Chronicle was told that it was unanimously agreed to pay the workers' entitlements early this year.

According to the workers, when the going became difficult, they went to complain to the Central Regional Minister, Hon. Isaac Edumadze, who wrote to the regional officer of CP in Cape Coast to ensure early payment of their entitlements to ensure peace.

Speaking on behalf of the workers at the precincts of the Cape Coast High Court, the leader of the aggrieved workers, Mr. Thomas K. Thompson, pointed out that even though they are aware that the amount has already been approved for payment, some people are dragging their feet thus compounding their problems.

He, therefore, called on the government to intervene on their behalf as a matter of urgency because since they were retrenched in April, last year, after the road project from Biriwa to Takoradi was completed, they had been left to their fate.

The leader was not happy that some of his colleagues who were transferred to Obuasi to work on a project in the area have also not been paid the out-of-station allowance, thus making them live on borrowed money.

He stated that the company has not been treating its workers fairly of late and that they have had to consult a Cape Coast barrister, Mr. John Obeng-Mensah, who wrote to the personnel manager of CP in Cape Coast on November 2, last year, giving him 14 days ultimatum within which payments should be effected or be dragged to court, hence their intended court action against the former employers.

The workers pointed out that four of their colleagues, Messrs James A. Kyeremeh, Paul Egyir, Joseph Anaisie and John B. Habone had since March 23, last year, been paid their entitlements and, therefore, did not see why theirs should be withheld.