Dangote Cement Workers Protest in Ghana

Operations at Dangote Cement Company in Ghana Friday came to a standstill as workers at the firm protested against the management for failing to implement the recommendations stated in a memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in 2010.

The MoU aimed to put in place conditions of service for all workers.

Dressed in red outfits, the workers were carrying placards with various inscriptions calling for the removal of the Finance Manager, Tunde Iddrisu, and Audit Manager, Tunji Olakokan. The two men are accused of thwarting the local union’s efforts in getting better conditions of service for its members.

According to the Union, since 2010, poor wages have not seen any increment and workers can no longer foot their bills.

The local Union Chairman, Thomas Ngba, noted that the workers can no longer take the maltreatment inflicted on them by the management.

“Last week we went on hunger strike thinking the management would call us at least for a discussion, but nothing was heard from them,” Thomas Ngba stressed.

The multinational Dangote Cement Company is owned by Africa’s richest man, Nigerian Aliko Dangote.

The company is investing over $100 million in the construction of a new cement plant in the West African nation by the end of this year.

The facility which will be the second by the company since its entry into Ghana few years ago will also come with its own power generation plant.

About Khalid Al Mouahidi 4375 Articles
Khalid Al Mouahidi : A binational from the US and Morocco, Khalid El Mouahidi has worked for several american companies in the Maghreb Region and is currently based in Casablanca, where he is doing consulting jobs for major international companies . Khalid writes analytical pieces about economic ties between the Maghreb and the Mena Region, where he has an extensive network