Akwatia, Feb. 18, GNA - The Ghana Mine Workers' Union of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), on Wednesday appealed to Government as a mat= ter of urgency, to ensure that the severance and other entitlements of employ= ees of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) are promptly settled. The union observed that since the partial closure of the company, in=

August 2007, employees had not been paid the severance and other entitlements as contained in their collective agreement.

Addressing a news conference at Akwatia, the Deputy General Secretar= y of the Union, Mr Eric Kwabena Gyimah, said the situation prevailing at GC= D had severely impacted negatively on employees and their families. "Many homes had been torn apart as a result of abject poverty these employees were subjected to, over 20 employees and their spouses had died= as a result of the pains associated with their poverty". Brilliant wards of employees who gained admission to senior high schools and tertiary institutions were at home because of the inability o= f their parents to pay the appropriate fee. Mr Gyimah further said most of the company's employees had disposed of their personal effects to fend for their families. The Akwatia community had also not been spared in terms of the curre= nt plight of the company.

He observed that the company had been on divestiture since 1989 "with= out seeing the light at the end of the tunnel". The Deputy General Secretary said the Union was reliable informed th= at some investors who put in their bids had been short listed. He called on government to put pressure on the divestiture implementation committee to fast track divestiture of GCD in order to hal= t the inhuman condition employees and their families were being subjected t= o. 1