Police investigate alleged illegal deductions from salary

Ho, Sept. 3, GNA - Police at Keta said on Wednesday that they are investigating reports of alleged illegal deductions from the salaries of workers of the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company.

The Police were speaking to the GNA on a petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) signed by Torgbi Ashiakpor IV, Paramount Chief of Wheta Traditional Area, appealing for an intervention into an alleged embezzlement at the company, which is building the Keta Sea Defence Wall.

The Police said two management staffs were being investigated for the deductions allegedly made over a 12-month period. The Police could not say how many people were affected by the deductions.

The petition said the workers, who had threatened to go on strike, told the chiefs that they had discovered that there were secret deductions from their salaries.

The workers, the petition said, claimed they were afraid they would be dismissed if they raised the issue.

The petition said the workers did not trust their Union Executives whom they accused of collaborating with the Management.

Mr John Jewitt, Civil Works Manager of the company, told the GNA that he was not aware of any misunderstanding between workers and a the Management over alleged illegal deductions from their salaries.

"I have not seen any petition on the issue, neither has there been any representation on the issue by the Unions," he told the GNA. Mr Jewitt said the Keta Police has invited two management staff for investigations into "various things" but not over the alleged deductions.

He, however, declined to specify what the two management staff were being investigated for so as not to prejudice the case. Mr Jewitt said Management was due to meet the Union on Wednesday over the computation of their salaries. 03 Sept. 03