GHACEM Permanent Employees Urged to Resume Work

The Management of the Ghana Cement Works (GHACEM) has expressed concern about the disruption of work at the factory and called for the unconditional resumption of work by all permanent staff, with immediate effect.

A statement signed by Mr Axel Endresen, the Managing Director, said that management considers its relationship with the permanent staff as cordial.

The workers embarked on a strike action on Thursday, in protest against the replacement of the company's 37 security men with personnel from a private security company after they were forced out by armed policemen.

GHACEM on Thursday, announced that stiff competition from West African Cement (WACEM), a free trade zone company based in Togo which exports cement to the country, has broken its monopoly on the local market.

This has resulted in GHACEM's loss of 30 per cent market shares, which translates into 200,000 tones of cement, while its market prices in dollar terms have dropped by 20 per cent.

GHACEM which has agreed to pay severance awards said the private security agency, Sec-Point would offer employment to all the 37 affected security men who were previously employed on contract if they are willing to work with Sec-Point.

The workers have rejected that decision, saying the company was gradually extending the system to all sections of the factory in a ploy to reduce its workforce by 50 per cent.