Ghanaian workers not happy with the power crisis
Over twelve thousand (12,000) jobs have been cut so far with more to go if the current power crisis is not solved, the Ghana Employers Association has warned.
Ghana has been facing a power crisis caused by a deficit in power generation for the past three years, forcing the country?s power distributor, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to run a load-shedding programme.
Several businesses including media houses such as Multi-Media, Citi Fm and GBC have complained about the debilitating effect of the power crisis on their businesses. A renowned economist, working with Global Financial Advisors had predicted that about 50,000 more may lose their jobs if a permanent solution is not found.
?If this problem persists, many employers would have no option than to lay off more workers and the number could hit 50, 000,? Mr. Clement Siaw, an Economists with Global Financial Advisors has stated in an interview with Business Day in Accra last week.
The next entity to lay off workers as a result of the power crisis is the GCB Bank. The GCB Bank is going through due process to lay off 500 members of its staff, according to an official of the Union of Industry, Commerce and Finance Workers (UNICOF). No reason has, however, been given for the impending lay-off, the official said.
The General Secretary of UNICOF, John Esiape said his outfit has received a letter from the management of GCB Bank Limited over the decision to lay off the 500 workers.
?There are a lot of institutions that are doing this,? he indicated, ?and we have been to such discussions.?
Mr Esiape added that but for UNICOF?s intervention, many organizations would have laid off most workers.
He added: ?As a national union and workers, nobody is happy going home and the law has just created this dispensation for such activity to be conducted.?
BY SHEILA WILLIAMS
