Workers of the Ghana Railway Company Limited have raised red flags over the possible collapse of the company in the near future.
In a press release signed by the General Secretary of the Railway Workers Union, Mr. Goodwill Ntarmah, and sighted by Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show team, he indicated that the company currently is unable to purchase fuel to run its services since they are cash-trapped.
“The Railway Workers Union brings to the attention of all that, the GRCL is gradually grinding to a halt. The company currently cannot purchase fuel to run its manganese freight as well as the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU), a passenger train.
“As a result, for the past few days all the freight trains as well as the DMU’s have been parked,” part of the release indicated.
He added that August and September salaries of some workers have not been paid and if the trend should continue, activities of the company will come to a halt.
“Aside of the inability to purchase fuel, is the overwhelming debt burden of the company including the non-payment of salaries to some staff from August and the general staff from September as well as workers welfare dues, SSNIT, Credit Union contributions.”
The workers are calling on the president to immediately release funds to enable the company run its services.
“We kindly call on the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately direct the release of the revenue realized from the auctioning of the scrap metals of GRCL to purchase fuel and other operational challenges to save GRCL.
“We wish to place on record that the GRCL is a state institution and everything possible must be done to salvage it from total collapse.”