'Job 600' Workers Go Wild

THERE WAS near chaos on Friday morning at the Parliament building popularly known as 'Job 600', following agitations by a number of artisans working on the rehabilitation project at the House.

The usually serene atmosphere at the Parliament House was nearly turned upside down by the workers and police personnel had to step in to calm nerves, reminding them that action could affect parliamentary proceedings.

The artisans were livid over the cost of safety uniforms, which they claimed had been offered to them at GH¢50.00 by the contractor, China State Hualong Construction Ghana Limited.

They noted that considering the fact that they received daily earnings as low as GH¢4.50, charging such an amount for the safety uniforms was too much.

Some of the workers complained that the safety uniforms were costly and that as construction workers, the uniforms should have been given to them for free.

They also complained about their daily wage, saying that it was a paltry sum, but added that 'because there are no jobs, we are compelled to take these peanuts and now they want to charge more for uniforms that were expected to be given to us for free,' one of the workers told journalists.

The agitations ensued when some of the workers failed to wear the safety uniforms as the supervisors inspected them at the main entrance to the site.

However, a source close to the contractors indicated that the uniforms were sold to the workers at GH¢25 and not GH¢50 as the workers claimed.

On the daily wage, the source added that it varied from person to person, taking into consideration competence and length of time on the job.

According to him, a new minimum wage was being worked out for the workers and would take effect from next month.

The Job 600 is being rehabilitated to provide office accommodation for the Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff.

Work commenced in March last year and is expected to be completed by the end of December 2012 so that MPs in the Sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic will occupy the building by January 7, 2013.

By Awudu Mahama