Cocoa carriers embark on indefinite strike at various depots
Cocoa Board, CMC proposal rejected
Ghana is a key supplier of cocoa beans
Chairman for the Tema, Takoradi, and Kumasi Cocoa Carriers, Raymond Atinga, has rejected a proposal made by the management of the Cocoa Marketing Company and Ghana Cocoa Board to increase pay for the haulage of cocoa bags.
The proposal, according to a Joy Business report is an increase from 62 to 82 pesewas for carried bags of cocoa beans which is a 20 pesewas difference.
But Chairman of the Cocoa Carriers, Raymond Atinga speaking after a crunch meeting with cocoa regulators described the proposal as woefully inadequate citing the cumbersome nature of their work.
“We are not accepting the 82 pesewas and will not go back to work if the 1 cedi proposal is not given to us. We’re saying this because cost of transportation has gone up, rent has gone up, utility bills and living conditions are up but they continue to pay as the meagre amount of money for the work done,” he told Joy Business.
Atinga added regulators must ensure that their demand for better service conditions and an increase in carried bags of cocoa beans will be addressed for cocoa carriers who are about 5,000 across the country.
“The effect is that government will suffer… because it will affect most of the public workers, police, soldiers, because they are being paid through cocoa money,” he expressed.
Meanwhile, there are fears that cocoa beans that are expected to be exported through Ghana’s main cocoa trading centres, risk being left to rot as haulage operations have been suspended at various depots in the country.
The Cocoa Carriers during this week have embarked on an indefinite strike in protest of better conditions of service and a pay increase for bags carried.
Should the situation persist, its effect will be on the export of Ghana’s cocoa to the world market which could hamper trade earnings from the commodity.