Video: Railway Workers Complain About Dying Of Extreme Poverty

Till date, the revamping of the Western Rail Line is in shambles and the Ghana Railway Co Ltd (GRCL) continues to decline day in and day out. Workers of GRCL today met with the press and sadly poured out their hearts. In a statement read out by the groups� General Secretary, Mr. Godwin Ntarmah, he stated that on 31st October, 2012, the association had an opportunity to meet with President Mahama and raised issues affecting them. According to him, during that meeting they reminded the president to revamp the Railway sector and better the salaries of the workers. �The basic salary for the Managing Director is GHC 983 and that of a Labourer is GHC 163�, he unhappily announced. Mr. Godwin Ntarmah added that out of extreme poverty, railway workers were dying every year. He continued that as at now, buildings of the company are being auctioned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and some chiefs are also reclaiming lands they have leased to them. The workers also complained about the continuous strenuous conditions they go through due to the absence of tools, accessories and the spare parts needed to work effectively. �Workers have now reached a point where the only option left for them is to act. It is with pain and difficulty that this option is what is left to workers because it was the expectation of workers that once the issue was with His Excellency something positive was going to be achieved�, he said. The workers wore red arm bands amid chanting and singing of war songs to register their anger as some of them said the situation has made them hopeless in the face of their families.