We’ll block roads, demonstrate for 2 months – Aggrieved Pokuase interchange workers

Aggrieved workers at the Pokuase interchange in Accra have threatened to block roads and continue their demonstration for the next two months if the government fails to address their concerns.

According to them, their Chinese superiors who are in charge of the project pay them GH¢20.20p for a day’s work; an amount which is subject to taxes and penalties.

They said all their petitions and plea to the management and Transport Ministry have fallen on deaf ears, so far.

The group of labourers on Thursday, October 22, 2020, laid down their tools and demonstrated at the site to demand better remuneration for the work they do.

"If the government fails to help us, we wont stop demonstrating, we'll block this road because we're serious about this," one of the aggrieved workers told GhanaWeb.

Dressed in their working gears with red scarfs, they displayed placards, some of which read “Pokuase daily mark for workers GH¢20.20 government please come and save because we are suffering…High allowance GH¢1 government please come and save because we are suffering.”

They demanded of the president to intervene and cause some changes in their working conditions.

Meanwhile, they alleged that some of their colleagues were fired for complaining about the conditions of work and the maltreatment from their Chinese supervisors.

With regards to contractual agreements and appointment letters, some of the workers told GhanaWeb that they were given appointment letters and contracts after a year of working under probation.

Without any insurance cover, they insisted that that work over the past few years have proven more detrimental than they ever imagined.