The CEO of the Ghana Railway Development Authority, Frederick Appoh, has announced that government has approved the release of GH¢11.6 million to begin clearing months of unpaid salaries owed to railway workers.
The intervention follows recent protests by the Railway Workers Union over prolonged salary delays, with some employees reportedly going as long as 14 months without pay.
Dr Appoh explained that upon taking office, management uncovered arrears stretching back to 2024, prompting urgent efforts to resolve the situation.
He further disclosed that discrepancies were identified in staff records, with an initial figure of about 1,300 workers later revised to 960 following a forensic audit.
The Authority, working with the Ghana Railway Company Limited, subsequently explored internal revenue options, including the sale of scrap materials, which generated approximately GH¢21.5 million.
However, part of the funds had to be set aside following claims by contractors over unpaid consignments valued at around GH¢10 million, reducing the amount available for salary payments. Despite this, arrangements were finalised to secure partial relief for workers.
Speaking on Citi FM on Thursday, March 26, Dr Appoh confirmed the release of funds, stating: “I am happy to announce that the Ministry of Finance has signed off on GH¢11.6 million. It has been forwarded to the Ministry of Transport to pay our colleagues at the Ghana Railway Company Limited, and this should cover about seven months of arrears.”
He added that the Authority will engage key stakeholders, including the Trades Union Congress, the Railway Workers Union, the National Labour Commission, and the Ministry of Transport, to develop a sustainable payment plan while exploring additional revenue streams to clear the remaining arrears.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com