Presidential Palace Abandoned

The completion of the Presidential Palace project before the inauguration of a new president is uncertain, as dark clouds hang over the project. The project, which was expected to have been completed in April this year, is yet to be finished for inauguration at least on December 8.

For months and days, it has been speculated that the new presidential office complex would be inaugurated (all thing being equal) on President Kufuor’s 70th birthday, December 8; just a day after the general election.

Deputy Minister for Information and National Orientation Frank Agyekum, in an interview with The Heritage, confirmed that the project was supposed to have been completed and handed over to Government next month (October) but “it would be handed over to Government in December.” The minister was unable to mention an exact date for the handing-over and inauguration.

Though laborers and artisans at the project site resumed work about three weeks ago after an industrial action over their wages, The Heritage’s investigation has revealed that over 100 artisans and labourers have either quit the work or been sacked by the management of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Ltd., the Indian construction company contracted by Government to build the presidential office complex.

Some workers have, however, told this reporter that several of their colleagues sacked were the ones suspected to have incited them (employees) to embark on the strike action.

Investigations have revealed that labourers employed by the main contractors, Shapporji Pallonji, are paid a daily wage of GH¢3.12p, whilst artisans take GH4.50p.

According to the workers, the contractors deduct 12p from the daily wage of each labourer in the name of tax and SSNIT contribution, whilst an artisan is paid his earning less 50p for the same social security contribution and tax.

“I have checked from the SSNIT office but I realized they had not paid the SSNIT. After I made noise for a long time, they paid for six months. But I don’t known the situation for other workers,” a worker who insists on strict anonymity told this reporter.

Several workers The Heritage spoke to also said that management of the project had announced for the umpteenth time that the project was over 90% complete and that there was the need to lay a majority of staff off. According to the workers, the project contractors had, notwithstanding that announcement, been silent on their redundancy benefits until they resorted to a sit-down strike.

The workers further told newsmen that in the absence of any information from Management on their redundancy benefits, rumours of how much would be thrown to teach had gained currency.

“Today, you will hear that the contractor says he will give three months’ salaries to workers as redundancy benefit aside of one’s last month’s salary, then tomorrow you will hear that they (contractors) will multiply GH¢10 by the number of months you have worked here (the project site); but the Indians have not yet come face-to-face with the workers to tell us anything,” a worker told newsmen.