Sofoline Interchange At Standstill …As Workers Protest For Salary Increase

From Simmons Yussif Kewura, Kumasi

Construction work on the Sofoline Interchange at Kwadaso in Kumasi has, for the umpteenth time, come to a standstill, as workers of the Chinese Geo Corporation (CGC) working on the interchange have decided to lay down their tools.

The workers did not only refuse to work, but went further to protest on the streets against alleged meagre salaries paid them by their employers.

According to the workers, ever since they were employed, they had not experienced any increment in their wages, and anytime they demanded it, the management would postpone their demands.

The Chairman of the local workers union of the CGC, Rudolf Asoalla, disclosed that some of the workers receive as low as GH¢5.00 per day, some of them having worked for about four years without appointment letters.

Yesterday, the demonstration by the workers attracted heavy military presence at the interchange to keep law and order, and although they found things difficult, yet they were able to restrain the crowd from vandalising properties at the site.

Mr. Rudolf Asoalla indicated that prior to the strike action, they had given their management seven days’ notice for them to sit down for any discussions on their increment, but the management did not yield to their request.

He explained further that it was only yesterday that the project manager, a certain Eric, called him on phone urging him to pursuade the workers not to go on strike.

The Union Chairman said management was not serious to address the issues at stake, since they continued to disregard their concerns, and cautioned that “until all our demands are met, we would not return to work.”

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