Tensions are rising in Ghana’s railway sector as workers resume protests over unpaid salaries and deteriorating conditions of service.
Members of the Railway Workers Union on Wednesday gathered at the premises of the Ministry of Transport Ghana, demanding urgent government intervention to clear fourteen months of outstanding salary arrears. The protest marks a continuation of a long-running dispute between the union and authorities.
Protesters, carrying placards and chanting slogans, expressed deep frustration over what they describe as neglect and a lack of commitment from authorities. At the centre of their demands is the payment of a 14-month salary backlog, which they say has severely affected their livelihoods.
Speaking in an interview on Ebannosen on Plan B FM, the Union’s General Secretary, Benjamin Essuman, criticised the Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, accusing him of failing to adequately engage the union while holding discussions with other agencies.
“The Transport Ministry has about 15 agencies. The Minister has met these agencies without engaging the railway sector, which clearly shows he does not have the sector at heart. He has not proposed a single policy for the sector,” he lamented.
The union argues that repeated assurances without concrete action have eroded trust.
In addition to salary concerns, the workers highlighted the poor state of railway infrastructure, noting that many of the tools and equipment in use are outdated and no longer functional.
As part of proposed solutions, the union is calling for the auctioning of obsolete railway assets—some believed to be over a century old—to raise funds for operational improvements and the settlement of outstanding payments.
The workers insist they will continue to press their demands until decisive action is taken, warning that the situation could escalate if their concerns remain unaddressed.
By: Ohene Kinnah |Planbfmonline.com
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