GRCL Workers Halt Operations Amid Financial Crisis
The railway workers under the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) are set to strike starting May 13, halting operations nationwide. The 967 workers have not received salaries for seven months, sparking concerns.
The strike stems from deep frustrations over unpaid wages and poor working conditions. Franklin Cobbinah, the Accra branch General Secretary of the Railway Workers Union, told Graphic Online that workers are struggling to pay utility bills and support their families. Many wore red attire and held placards in Accra, with messages like “We have not been paid for seven months” and “Railway Sector needs investment now,” highlighting the severity of the crisis.
Ghana’s railway system has been undergoing modernization, including the 299 km Western Railway line, a $3.2 billion project featuring new Diesel Multiple Unit trains from Poland. This aims to improve connectivity and ease road congestion. However, the strike reveals a stark contrast between infrastructure investments and the government’s failure to pay workers, raising questions about financial management in the public sector.