Some employees of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited on Tuesday held a protest at the premises of the company for an improvement in their conditions of service.
The employees, clad in red, were agitated by what they said was a delay in payment of their salaries and other entitlements.
These entitlements, they claimed, included months-long delay in the payment of their Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions and Provident fund.
GIHOC staff demonstrate over delay in salaries, demand the removal of MD
They are also demanding the removal of their Managing Director, Maxwell Kofi Jumah; blaming him for their current conditions.
Speaking to JoyNews’ Samuel Mbura, an employee revealed that “the challenge we have is that our SSNIT has not been paid and our provident fund has not been paid for almost 18 months now. So this is what we are fighting for, we are not fighting the management or the MD.”
Another staff noted that contrary to what people might believe, they are not demonstrating but only demanding they are treated right.
The employees believe that new management can better handle the affairs of the company.
Meanwhile, Sales Manager Nana Kwesi Adubofour says the protest is unfortunate; noting that this could only happen because of the “over-generosity” of the Managing Director.
“The reason I am saying this is that most of the people that are agitating were casual workers. The MD made them permanent workers, and some of them received GHS250 and GHS500. This time they are receiving not less than GHS1500 a month.”
“What are they talking about the incompetence of the MD? During Covid period, we even employed some of them doing that demonstration. We have 565 workers, so if you have these 20 people just loitering and saying all these things because the man was generous to them, it is very unfortunate.”
GIHOC staff demonstrate over delay in salaries, demand the removal of MD
Mr Adubofour revealed that the MD had been unwell for about two months, triggering the creation of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to manage affairs on his behalf.
“The very people doing the agitation are from technical and production staff. The board dissolved the IMC, and the technical manager was part of the IMC. So, what happened three weeks ago that was different from today?”
GIHOC staff demonstrate over delay in salaries, demand the removal of MD
“If you ask me if there is any element of sabotage I will say yes. Because if indeed their grievances are genuine and they want to do it right why did they wait till the assumption of the MD? Why did they not stage the demonstration three weeks ago but today? Why did they not stage the demonstration when the IMC was in charge of affairs?” he quizzed.
Mr Adubofour believes that someone might be trying to sabotage the work of the managing director.
