VRA to sack 700 workers

More than 700 workers of the Volta River Authority (VRA) are expected to be laid off in October this year.

The affected staff work in the non-core business departments of the VRA, which have been restructured.

The non-core business departments of VRA are Real Estate or Town Management, Akosombo International School and the Akosombo Hospital.

The VRA workers stated that they were not informed before the decision was taken by management.

“Management has concluded all necessary arrangements before setting out a team to meet workers to explain issues to them,” the aggrieved workers said.

The workers also claim management’s decision to give them contract for one year after the restructuring was false, stating that “it is just mere propaganda to console them.”

VRA, which has recently supported reforms in the country’s power sector, said that such a development would be strategic to help make VRA competitive.

“There is the possibility that if VRA does not carry out the initiative as required by the power sector reform policy, an outside body may intervene to effect it in a manner that would be detrimental to the authority.

“For the VRA schools in particular, it is critical that the separation ought to be completed before the start of the academic year September/October, 2014,” it said.

According to VRA, there might be a possible increase in the cost of separation in 2015 because of salary negotiations which are expected in January 2015.

VRA said funds would be made available for the redundancy payment.