Power crisis: More Ghanaians to lose jobs

Some workers of Coca Cola, Mantrac, Cadbury Ghana, Fan milk and other companies are expected to lose their jobs as the energy crisis deepens.

According to the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), the four companies have brought notifications of their retrenchment plans as a result of the worsening power crisis, which is having a toll on Industry and businesses.

“We [ICU] have been receiving letters from most companies that they want to cut down on the number of employees that they have.

“For the past week we have received about four: Coca-Cola, Mantrac, Cadbury Ghana, Fan milk: they have all brought letters that they want to cut down their staff strength,” a deputy general secretary of the union, Emmanuel Benimah bemoaned in an interview with Starr Business.

The inconsistent power supply, according to the ICU, is forcing many firms to downsize, a situation it fears could worsen the unemployment situation in the country.

“Companies need power to produce because without power they cannot operate, so they have to operate on generator sets, which is an additional cost…and this is costing them.

“So it is a crisis situation,” Mr Benimah bemoaned. According to him, 350 workers have so far been dismissed since January due to the power crisis.

The ICU, therefore, wants the Government to support industries with fuel, in the interim, as long-term solutions are sought after.