Dubai Construction firm denies Ghanaian workers’ charges

A construction company has denied allegations levelled by a group of Ghanaian workers that the former had not kept its contractual obligations.

Yasser Arafat, the labour co-ordinator of the company told Gulf Times that the workers’ allegations stem from their lack of understanding of the recruitment process.

“It is true that they were promised salaries in dollars at recruitment, but they lack the understanding of the exchange equivalent in Qatari Riyal, which we have tried to explain to them on several occasions. And, in fact, their salaries vary depending on their specialisations and qualifications,” he explained.

“We have different categories of salary. For professionals like ceramic tiles fixer, the basic salary and food allowance is QR1,500 and QR300, totalling QR1,800, while artisans like carpenters, bricklayers and steel fixers receive QR1,200 including QR200 food allowance,” he said showing copies of the contracts signed in Doha.

Admitting that the company makes frequent deductions from the workers’ salaries, Arafat said it is the only way the company could recoup its expenses on the workers’ visas and QR200 food allowance advance given to each of them on arrival.

Responding to the allegation of cramped accommodation, he said that the company was trying to rehabilitate the workers and that some of them, complaining of too much dust, have refused to move to the newly completed company accommodation at Mesaieed, which is close to their work site.

He said the company had designated some hospitals where the employees could go for treatment and whatever amount they spend would be reimbursed, adding: “Some of them just go to any hospital, whereas, we have informed them to always go to either Hamad hospital or Al-Shefa clinic.”

One of the senior Ghanaian workers at the company, speaking on behalf of the local agent, explained that the fees paid to the agent in Ghana varied and it was based on categories of applicants.

“What people applying as engineers paid was different from artisans and labourers. While the engineers paid $2,000, Artisans and labourers paid $1,800 and $1,500 respectively,” he said.

“The fees, as we were made to believe then, covers our air ticket to Qatar, medical test in Ghana and administrative charges by the agent, contrary to what our colleagues are claiming,” he added.

He stressed further that the people making the allegations were probably not present at the Ghana interview, where details of the fees were discussed, but got their information through the middlemen, who must have misled them into believing false information.

The spokesman, who is in charge of the contract documents, said the Ghanaians have not being asking for copies as against their claim, adding that other nationals employed by the company have been granted on demand.

Responding to the allegation of ‘cat and mouse game’ by the company and the agent, he said it was the workers who failed to turn up on the appointed date set for them to meet, adding that the agent, who is an employee of an oil company, always has a busy schedule, thereby making it difficult for them to meet.