Business News of Friday, 30 April 2021

Source: Senyalah Castro, Contributor

We don’t owe our workers - G7 Security clears air on staff strike over unpaid emoluments

Mac-Reuben Kumah, CEO of G7 Security Mac-Reuben Kumah, CEO of G7 Security

Management of G7 Security has said it does not owe its workers six months salaries arrears as has been widely reported in the media.

It said even though there was a delay in the payments of salaries of workers for the months of February and March which were outstanding, all arrears have been settled as efforts are been made to pay salaries for April in the first week of May.

On Thursday, April 29, 2021, staff of the security company laid down their tools at the Kumasi Airport accusing the company of non-payment of some salary arrears.

The staff who protested peacefully said they had not been paid for some six months and also accused management of failing to pay their SSNIT contributions for five years.

According to the workers in an interview, they granted the media, the unpaid salaries was making life difficult for them, their families and other dependants.

The workers in their protest demanded the payment of their salary arrears or they would withdraw their services at the Airport.

But in a statement responding to the reports, management of the security company has described the accusations as untrue and an “exaggeration”.

It explained that indeed there were some delays in paying salaries of workers since February, a settlement has been made duly made. Management also denied the accusation of not payingSSNIT the contribution of workers and explained that the company was in good standing with SSNIT and has validated payment advice as of March 2021.

The statement signed by the Deputy Managing Director, Kofi Jakper, while reiterating the company’s commitment to professionalism, stated that the welfare of workers was a topmost priority.

Management assured that measures have been put in place to prevent such occurrences in the future and conveyed its sincerest apology to the public who may have been affected by the actions of its staff at the Kumasi Airport.

See the full statement below.

Rejoinder - Kumasi Airport: G7 Security staff strike over 5-year unpaid SSNIT Contribution

Our attention has been drawn to a media publication by your outfit that we have not paid our security guards salaries at the Ghana Airport Company Limited, Kumasi (GACL) for three months running. We wish to state that it is untrue. We have had a delay of payment of salaries for February and March 2021 calendars, however, as at the time of writing this report, on our records of accounts all guards who have worked at GACL have been fully paid and we do not owe any salaries at the airport except the salary of April 2021 and we are working towards paying them by the first week of May 2021 as our monthly salary calendar falls due.

Also, we learned their SSNIT had not been paid. That is also an exaggeration, we are in good standing with SSNIT and have paid our validated payments advice as of March 2021. Those guards who have no SSNIT numbers, we have forwarded their data to the SSNIT branch at Abeka and Kumasi to assist us to obtain valid numbers and pay their contributions. However, any guards who have any issues with their SSNIT contributions can either contact us (0544297771) or the nearest SSNIT office for assistance, please.

We are a responsible private security company providing security cover to reputable local and multinational companies with high professionalism and the welfare of our personnel is of utmost priority to us.

We apologize, unreservedly, to all parties who were directly or indirectly affected by the action of our personnel at the Kumasi Airport and assure the general public that, measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence.
Thank you.

Signed
Kofi Jakper
Deputy Managing Director