Youth in Afforestation under the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has issued a one-month ultimatum to government to pay them their over 1 year allowances.
The group accused government of taking delight in the success of the tree planting programme despite the non-payment of their allowances.
In a press release copied to GhanaWeb, the Youth in Afforestation said they have been able to plant over 67 million trees across the country since the inception of the programme in 2018.
They bemoaned the high cost of living, stating that some members to the extent to borrow monies for work.
"We the Youth In Afforestation (YIA) under the Forestry Commission, Ministry of Lands and Minerals Resources are demanding our unpaid allowance for over one year and four months from the government and we are giving the government up to this month of August to clear all allowances due us," part of the release read.
"We were over 60,000 when we began the Youth In Afforestation (YIA) program introduced by the government in 2018 under the leadership of late Hon. Kwaku Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, since the program started we have planted over 67million trees across the country," it added.
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Read Youth in Afforestation press statement below;
Youth in Afforestation (YIA) demand their One(1) year Four(4) months unpaid allowances before the end of the month.
We the youth in Afforestation (YIA) under the Forestry Commission, Ministry of Lands and Minerals Resources are demanding our unpaid allowance for over one year and four months from the government and we are giving the government up to this month of August to clear all allowances due us.
We were over 60,000 when we began the Youth In Afforestation (YIA) program introduced by the government in 2018 under the leadership of late Hon. Kwaku Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, since the program started we have planted over 67million trees across the country.
But through outrageous dissatisfaction and neglected recompenses we lost great spirits (Rest In Peace Our Dead Soul).
Presently over 25,000 Youth In Afforestation have determined not to support the ruling government and will quit working if the government does not give an answer to our situation.
The Youth In Afforestation (YIA) has been hit seriously and the way that they need to battle for a stipend prior to getting is definitely not a decent demonstration of the Government and Forestry Commission Ghana.
Remember we have family to take care, we are suffering because we have not been paid, we cry always due to hinger.
It's so sad how we suffer before going to work, most of us depends on borrowing before we are able to get to work. Most of us always go to work with empty stomach yet nobody cares about us.
We have been going through all these hardships for the love of the country yet Land and Natural Resources Minister boast of Afforestation accomplishment without giving some credit to we Youth In Afforestation (YIA) who made it a success.
The minister has turned deaf ears to our situation and not doing anything to help solve our pending allowances.
The cry and difficulty of all lost Soul and all Afforestation beneficiaries who are enduring and going through a lot of hardship in view of Mother Ghana will be your responsibility since you individuals are responsible for the welfare of the beneficiaries and would not pay us for One(1) year Four(4) month now.
The government only takes delight in the success of the program but has refused to do the needful by clearing all our allowances.
We express our concern over how the major political parties disregarded us in their agenda, upon all the hardships we go through.
We are reminding these two major political parties NPP and NDC that 2024 elections are around the corner and we the Youth in Afforestation (YIA) will advise ourselves.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor