The aggrieved staff of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) have announced that they have called off their intended industrial action to protest debts owed the company by other power sector players such as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Power Distribution Services (PDS).
A statement issued by the company said the suspension follows a joint standing committee between management and various staff groups.
“Management is committed to closer and regular engagements with staff groups and stakeholders with the view to resolve all outstanding issues,” the statement said.
Debts owed
Last month, Senior Staff and the Divisional Union of GRIDCo withdrew emergency services over the debt owed them by key organisations in the power sector.
The Senior Staff and the Divisional Union also expressed concern with debt owed the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) and Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo).
The union says ECG and NEDCo owe about GH¢607 million and GH¢177 million respectively, while VALCO and PDS owe over US$32 million and GH¢94 million respectively.
The GRIDCo staff said they were resorting to the strike “following non-response by GRIDCo Management and the institutions petitioned.”
The group had earlier petitioned the Finance Ministry and ECG to release funds to settle their indebtedness.
The staff had originally threatened to strike on December 4.
The sit-down strike was expected to be followed by a picket at the GRIDCo Head Office at a later date.