STC workers want MD sacked

Aggrieved workers of beleaguered state-owned Intercity STC yesterday embarked on an indefinite strike following the company’s failure to increase their salaries for over 10 years.

It is for this reason that the workers have demanded the dismissal of Managing Director of the company, Charles Thompson and the Head of Finance & Administration, Nuhu Jansbaka. The company’s operations were temporarily halted yesterday as the irate workers chanted and burnt lorry tyres to express their anger.

Buses were not allowed to move out of the yard which left passengers stranded. In an interview with CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE, Hope Kofi Klon, Spokesperson for the workers said, “For the past 10 years, our salaries have not tasted any upward revision neither have we received any allowances.”

According to him, “Despite the fact that all our debts have been cleared by the Social Security & National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), our salaries still remain the same. We are tired of the MD and the Head of Finance & Administration, they must go.”

Kofi Klon accused Mr Thompson of embezzling money and increasing his salary twice in just two years. He said some of the workers had worked with the company for over 20 years but their monthly salary was not up to GH¢300, stating that some of the drivers even receive as low as GH¢70 a month.

“We have suffered too much. We will not allow them to continue to cheat us. Until they do something about our salaries, we will not go back to work,” Kofi Klon said. He also alleged that management of the company had claimed workers’ contributions made to Vanguard Assurance.

“When we approached Jansbaka on the matter, he promised to only give us the money if we will give him one percent from each worker’s benefit,” Kofi Klon said. He said after SSNIT bought majority shares in STC and paid it debts, they have not seen any improvement in the company’s operations.

Kofi Klon called on management of SSNIT to put the right measures in place to save the company from collapsing. SSNIT, the majority shareholder of Intercity STC Company Limited, paid an estimated GH¢23 million to the latter’s creditors and suppliers.

The payment drastically reduced the debt stock of the transport company, which stood at GH¢45 million as at October 2012. GH¢7.5million was paid to Prudential Bank to settle STC’s indebtedness. It would be recalled also that STC, in 2005, contracted a loan of US$3.8million from Prudential Bank at a 12 percent interest rate for the purchase of 45 Faw buses.

SSNIT also paid GH¢5.1million to the National Investment Bank (NIB), GH¢554,000 to Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), GH¢1.7 million to Mr. Svani, a businessman and paid the six-month outstanding salaries of STC staff, which stood at GH¢1,660,000. Part of the settlement also went to J.A. Plant Pool. Of that GH¢1,940,000 was paid to them plus an additional GH¢6,088,000 which I am yet to confirm,” the source said.