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GHANA: Garment workers unhappy with working conditions

ACCRA:  Sleek Garment, the company established at Garment Village in Kpone is unable to provide workers their basic needs, the workers say.

The staff of the company, which is about 1800, say that the company is has expressed its inability to pay their social security and National Insurance Trust Fund.

The company has not provided them To and From facilities from their workplaces.

Due to the unavailability of a Canteen, they do not get good food. The aggrieved workers complained about poor salary rates, which range from ¢400,000 (GH¢40)-¢500,000 (GH¢50) per month.

In addition to all these challenges, their spokesperson also complained about power outages, which impact the workers productivity.

Other problems include lack of access to adequate and cheaper finance, as well as low product prices quoted by the Chinese wholesale and retailers.

The company workers allege that the management is only interested in getting the work done from them and do not have time for their just demands.

Anthony Osei, chairman of the board of Export Development and Investment Fund, after touring the factory site last week was happy that the five factory units on the project site had not remained idle, but were working extensively to meet some major export orders.

He was delighted that the village had far-reaching strategic significance on the country’s economic well-being, in terms of job creation and export revenue. He said the initiative defines new frontiers for the export development assistance, but never touched on the working conditions of the staff.

The Garment Village Complex within the Export Processing Zone was set aside from the Free Zones enclave for the construction of modern garment factories by the government, under the president’s Special Initiatives, to ensure that more Ghanaian Companies benefit from the prior investments in off-site infrastructure, targeted mainly at foreign firms.

The project was instituted by the Government of Ghana, with the help of the United Nations Development Programme, Ghana Free Zones Board, the US Embassy, and other reputable institutions.

Source: Agencies • News Courtesy: BharatTextile.com