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Dumsor looms as GRIDCo workers demonstrate over ECG, Valco debts

Scores of workers of the <a href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/kum-y3-pr3ko-demo-rocks-accra-and-here-are-4-reasons-why/bc2hnjj" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ghana Grid Company</a> (GRIDCo) hit the street to protest over the debt owed the company by key stakeholders in the energy sector.
GRIDCo staff
GRIDCo staff

The aggrieved workers demonstrated over debts owed it by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) and the Ministry of Finance demanding their unsettled debts.

They said as of March 1, 2019, ECG's outstanding debt to GRIDCo stood at GH¢607 million and another GH¢94,204,903.17 while VALCO owed it GH¢32,567,974.05 and NEDCo's debt stood at GH¢177 million as at September 30, 2019.

The association said if by close of work on December 4, 2019, the debts were not cleared, they would embark on a sit-down strike and impress upon their management to cut power supply to all customers who are indebted to it.

The workers at a press conference addressed by the National Chairman of Staff Group of GRIDCo, Raphael Kornor, directed them not to provide any further services.

He said the unavailability of funds to the company had forced it into rationing fuels for their staff's travel for maintenance works while hoteliers have refused to make their facilities available to staff who travel for work due to their indebtedness.

GRIDCo staff

GRIDCo staff

He stated that "From the Friday, November 22nd, 2019: staff would treat all emergency work as normal work within the normal working hours. From Friday, November 29th, 2019, staff are going to march to the ECG office and the Ministry of Finance to picket in demand for our money. If by the close of work Wednesday, December 4th, 2019 all our debts are not paid, we would declare a sit-down strike. Following the sit-down strike, we shall impress upon GRIDCo Management to disconnect all customers indebted to us.

"We are embarking on these actions to restore the backbone of the NITS and to ensure that GRIDCo remains a fully-owned Ghanaian company managed by full-blooded Ghanaians and not to be thrown out there for people to grab."

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