GACL outlines six-month roadmap to settle arrears of agitating staff

•The GACL has outlined a six-month road to settle the arrears of staff

•The decision was met after management of the GACL and its Board concluded talks to settle the matter and communicated the decision to staff

•It is expected to end the increasing hostility between staff and the management of the GACL

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has outlined a six-month roadmap intended to settle the arrears of some agitating staff, Business24 has reported.

The development comes after staff of the company have been up in arms against management over their failure to address the concerns over their statutory and welfare payments.

But management of the GACL in consultation with the Board Chair of the airport’s operator, Oboshie Sai-Cofie have since concluded that it will from August this year settle all outstanding welfare and statutory deductions of staff.

It has further “concluded arrangement for the payment of SSNIT contributions from August 2021 over a period of twelve months and PAYE Obligations from October 2021 for a similar period while payment of Tier 2 pension contributions will commence in October 2021 over period of six months,” the portal wrote.

“The roadmap was arrived at following the management’s meeting with the GACL Board and the decision was subsequently communicated to workers at staff durbar held on August 11, 2021,” it added.

The move according to persons familiar with the matter is expected to end the increasing agitation and hostility between staff of the GACL and its management.

Reacting to the development, Management Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Yaw Kwakwa assured staff that management will continue to be transparent when engaging with them on the financial standings of the company in a bid to restore confidence and improve on the cordial relationship among staff and management.

“I take responsibility for all that is happening at the company. The works have every right to complain when they are going through hardship. What I don’t condone is to take the law into your hands and attack management.”

“We’ve worked together for some time now and I know how they feel when certain things are not going well for them. But management is working very hard to address their challenges. We are stick to our road and I believe that at the end of the day, there will be all smiles and the bond that existed between management and staff will greatly be improved.”

“Our number one challenge had to do with the refinancing of the over US$400 million asset-backed corporate loan we took to finance our capital expenditure requirements under two separate components. But like I said, we will continue to engage our workers to resolve all outstanding issues," Yaw Kwakwa assured.