PBC Workers appeal to President Mahama over delayed salaries and company revamp
Employees of PBC Limited have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to honour his pledge to revive the struggling cocoa purchasing company, citing prolonged salary arrears, financial hardship and persistent operational challenges.
The workers said the President, during his campaign, promised to restore stability at PBC, strengthen its operations, ensure fair treatment of staff and guarantee timely payment of wages, enabling the company to reclaim its position as a key licensed buying company in Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Chairman of the PBC Professional and Managerial Staff Union, Osbert Baffoe Ansah, made the appeal at a press conference in Kumasi, noting that those commitments had raised expectations among workers about a turnaround in the company’s fortunes.
However, he said conditions have instead deteriorated under the current administration.
According to him, employees have not received salaries for 27 months, while some statutory deductions remain outstanding. He added that the situation has placed severe pressure on workers, affecting their ability to meet basic needs such as transportation, healthcare, and education.
He further disclosed that casual workers are owed allowances for more than 36 months, receiving a maximum monthly pay of GH₵350, which has deepened their financial distress.
Mr Ansah described the situation as unacceptable, warning that the prolonged arrears were eroding morale, weakening trust in management and threatening industrial peace.
He also raised concerns about insufficient operational funding, which he said continues to disrupt the company’s activities and hinder effective planning.
“There is persistent underfunding for operations, resulting in disruptions to normal operations and service delivery. This has caused poor planning and increased uncertainty among workers regarding job security and operational continuity,” he stated.
The union leader further criticised the government’s takeover of the Buipe Shea Processing Factory, a wholly owned subsidiary of PBC Limited, arguing that the move has left the company with associated debts.
He urged government to either return the facility to PBC or assume responsibility for the outstanding liabilities linked to it.
“The union wishes to put on record our concerns about the government takeover of the 100 percent owned Buipe Shea Processing Factory, while leaving the associated debt burden on the company and executive management,” he said.
Mr Ansah called on President Mahama to intervene urgently to address the challenges and prevent further deterioration of the company’s operations and workers’ welfare.
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