The Managing Director of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Jonathan Amoako Baah has called for calm among staff of the company who staged a demonstration on Tuesday.
Some staff of the Company staged a demonstration against the Ministry of Finance and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on Tuesday over huge debts owed the company by some state agencies.
The protesters who massed up at the Black Star Square said the indebtedness of ECG and the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) to GRIDCo was crippling operations of the company.
As part of their industrial action, the staff threatened to begin a strike on December 10th if their concerns are not addressed by the government.
But though the Managing Director of the Company, firstly clarified that the protest by the staff members was not sanctioned by authorities of the firm, he said they have put plans in place to handle the situation at hand.
Mr Amoako Baah responded affirmatively when questioned as to whether he was positive that engagements with the government will yield good results so the planned strike action by the staff members does not happen.
He further stated that the Ghana Grid Company’s operations have not been in any way affected by the abrogation of the PDS contract as alleged.
The workers of the Ghana Grid Company who embarked in a protest to demand the monies owed them by government and other companies threatened to continue with their series of industrial action if nothing is done about their concerns.
The staff in their petition to the Finance Ministry said the Ministry must act on a directive by President Akufo-Addo to make available to them some GH¢250 million to help them pay the debts.
They also said that the Ministry must order VALCO to settle its US$33 million debt to GRIDCo. The National Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of GRIDCO, Raphael Kornor also said that failure by the ECG, VALCO and NEDCo to defray their debts could plunge the country into darkness following the possible withdrawal of service by the staff of GRIDCo.
The Board Chairman of Ghana Grid Company, (GRIDCo), Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, had earlier stated that the leadership of the company has put in place measures to ensure that the company’s mandate as the backbone of power delivery in Ghana remains consistent.
Source:Fiilafmonline/CitiNews
