Regional News of Wednesday, 12 November 2003

Source: GNA

Work on Kadjebi road resumes after strike by workers

Jasikan (V/R), Nov 12, GNA- Work on the 33-kilometre Dzindziso-Pepesu road in the Kadjebi District of the Volta region is progressing steadily after a sit-down strike by workers of the company executing the contract.

Messrs Top International Engineering Company, a Chinese construction firm, is executing the 41 billion cedis World Bank project that took off six months ago.

The World Bank is providing 80 per cent of the funding while the government is paying the remaining.

The road would facilitate the easy movement of goods and services through the northern sector of the Volta Region to the Northern Region. Mr Edward Amon, Resident Engineer of the company, told newsmen that last Thursday 82 workers of the company went on strike over their demand for better conditions of service and salary.

The workers claimed their salaries were below the minimum wage. Mr Wolf Stone, an assistant Manager of the company, said the company has contacted the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Labour Department and the local union of the company to negotiate by the end of the week. He said all the workers would be issued with appointment letters with the approved salary scales, adding, ''The strike has been called off and the workers have resumed work pending the outcome of the negotiations.''