Wa, Feb. 19 GNA- Workers of China Zhong Hao Ghana Limited, a Chinese bore-hole-drilling company has appealed to the Minister of Employment and Manpower Development to intercede on their behalf to stop the high level of exploitation by the management.
Most of the workers who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Wa claimed that although the management of the company makes them to work over the eight-hour stipulated working hours, they were not given risk and inconvenience allowance while none of the workers was given social security contributions.
The workers alleged that although they were employed in different capacities as drivers, mechanics and casual labourers all of them were lumped up as casual labourers but were compelled to do all kinds of menial jobs in the company.
They said some of the workers had worked for over two years and yet were still on daily wages of A210,000 instead of being on permanent basis.
The workers alleged that the company did not give them break to rest but rather allows them to eat in turns while others were working. "Above all these, we do not have safety materials such as safety boots, overall uniform, goggles and wellington boots yet we work under very harsh and dangerous conditions" they added.
The workers said the intervention of the Minister would enable the company to pay their Social Security Contributions, overtime, risk, inconvenience and medical allowances.
Mr. Wu Wu, Wa branch manager of the company who reacted to the claims of the workers said most of them were recruited as casual labourers and therefore the company could not pay their social security contributions.
He said the workers were not fair to the company in terms of allowances as they were paying A210,000 as wages and A28,000 as risk allowance bringing it up to A218,000 a person per day. "you see we even pay far above the minimum wage of Ghanaian workers so where have we gone wrong?, he asked.
Mr. Wu said they allowed them to eat in turns because drilling of boreholes was a continuous job until they hit water. "Most of them come for only weeks and run way from us so it is difficult to put them on salaries " he added.
The manager said their company was paying the highest daily wages of A218,000 per worker per day compared to other private companies in the country and wondered why the workers were complaining.
When GNA contacted Mr. Frimpong Boateng, Regional Labour Officer on the issue he confirmed the matter but explained that workers who work over eight hours were entitled to extra duty allowance.
He gave assurance that his office would intensify educational programmes on labour laws so that the exploitation of workers would be reduced.
