Cocoa carriers demonstrate against contractors

Cocoa carriers in the Western Region on Friday demonstrated against COCOBOD and the Cocoa Marketing Company for unfair working conditions and pay differential which had been an issue over some time now.

The demonstrators, after a walk through Takoradi, converged in front of the Public Works Department chanting of war songs.

Mr. Desire Mawutordjor, Chairman of the Cocoa Carriers Association, told the Ghana News Agency that the engagement of middle men by the COCOBOD and CMC was greatly affecting their livelihood due to unfair treatment and cheating on the part of the contracting agencies.

He alleged that whiles some contractors had failed to pay the carriers over a period of time other contractors had even bolted away with monies belonging to the carriers.

Mr. Mawutordjor said letters and meetings with the COCOBOD and CMC had not yielded any positive response and described this as “terrible and inhumane”.