People & Places: How workers 'nearly' sabotaged building of Akosombo Dam, Tema Motorway

In the early 1960s, Ghana embarked on two monumental infrastructure projects that would shape the nation's future: the construction of the Akosombo Dam and the Tema Motorway.

These projects were not just feats of engineering but symbols of a new nation's aspirations.

However, these ambitious undertakings were not without their challenges, including instances where they were nearly sabotaged by workers unions.

The Akosombo Dam, today, serves as one of the country’s main hydropower-generating dams on the Volta River, which supplies the southern part of the country with electricity.

Similarly, the Tema Motorway connects the industrial city of Tema with the capital, Accra.

Despite its strategic importance, the projects encountered opposition from workers and unions at the time.

A senior citizen and also a former Superintendent of Works at the Ministry of Railways, Ernest Koku Quist in an interview on GhanaWeb’s People & Places recalled the era with a mix of regret and nostalgia.

According to him, the unions made the public believe that the projects were a waste of national resources.

Responding to the effects coups have had on Ghana, he stated that days under Nkrumah were far better than the era of coups.

Even though Nkrumah was on a development agenda, the workers union, according to him, attempted to sabotage projects.

“Kwame Nkrumah’s time was better. Because the unions made us do things which we didn't want to do. This motorway, [reference to Tema Motorway] we went on strike for nine days that the motorway should not be built. I was among them, even though I am ashamed today.

"Akosombo, for thirteen days, they said the dam shouldn't be built because it was a waste of money. Kwame Nkrumah said that it was a national affair, it was not a political affair,” he stated.

Ernest Quist also added that later on, the sum of money collected from them by the Nkrumah was returned plus interests and other benefits.

“What he did was, we were to pay £10 each for the building of Akosombo, I paid. In the railways, we had seventeen unions and we paid. But after some years, we shall not forget. Kwame Nkrumah gave back the £10 plus the interest and your salary and your overtime,” he added.

Watch the full interview in this episode of People and Places on GhanaWeb TV below:



 

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