Unpaid WAMCO workers cry for help

Workers of the West African Mills Company Limited (WAMCO) in Takoradi in the Western Region are calling on government to as a matter of urgency; intervene and rescue the company from total collapse following poor management practices adopted by the majority shareholder of the company over the years.

WAMCO is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) venture with the Government of Ghana (GoG) holding 40 percent share and German partner, Hermann Opterkuch, holding the remaining 60 percent.

The workers however say the majority shareholder who is the acting Managing Director of the company has been operating the business from his base in Switzerland through his surrogate in Ghana thus creating operational challenges, administrative interference and financial difficulties for the company.

Narrating their displeasure of these long-standing happenings in the company to The New Crusading GUIDE, the workers said the company has consequently been plunged into serious financial difficulties resulting into non-payment of workers’ salaries for the past 18 months.

Workers who retired, resigned or died for the past 3 years have also not been paid their entitlements, they said.

They allege that the company was also indebted to Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to the tune of 33 million Euros, and an amount of US $15.500 million for the supply of cocoa beans over the years.

Besides, they said, the company owed many of its clients including electricity bills, telephone and transport services adding that, workers social security fund, provident fund, income tax, union dues, bank loans recoveries and financial contributions were all in arrears.

In a curious twist, when WAMCO could not access cocoa beans from COCOBOD due to its indebtedness, WAMCO was given the green light to import cocoa beans from Ivory Coast to Ghana.

The workers could therefore not fathom why such valuable enterprise which employs about 230 Ghanaians was being left to collapse as government remains silent.

They, therefore, urged the government to intervene and rescue the company from total deterioration.