Railway Workers On Strike

Workers of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL), on Friday embarked on a sit down strike to ensure the ejection of squatters from their premises.

As early as 8:30am, about 400 workers in the Accra and Nsawam branches beseeched and closed down all gates to the yard and offices of the company including that of the Area Manager.

They have also placed embargo on the movement of trains until the problem is solved.

Not even pleas from Mr Divine Ablordi, Area Manager of the company to them to exercise restraint till Monday for the Management to confer with the government, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the security agencies for a permanent resolution, could deter them.

Clad in red bands, the workers threatened not to resume work until the problem is solved once and for all.

Ms Comfort Awunya, Secretary of the Local Union, told GNA in an interview that their action was not politically motivated but was a means to get the squatters ejected to attract investors.

"Investors want to come and revamp the rail transport system but the presence of the squatters drives them away," she explained.

She said for some time now efforts by the Management to eject them had proved impossible. "If the workers decide not to work, Management as well as government would take the issue seriously to ensure sanity in the company's yard."

Ms Awunya said it was a collective duty and effort for them to resist any force by any group of people, who undermined their integrity and forcibly invaded their property.

"We cannot afford to compromise the safety of our train operation and bear any consequences in time of accidents," she said, and added that they would continue to press the Management, AMA and the security agencies for the ejection of the squatters.

When GNA visited the yard, market women were going about their usual business, some unaware of what was happening in the main offices of the company.

The train, which was scheduled to depart Accra at 10:30am, had not left by 11:30 when GNA left the scene.