Operations at the Forestry Commission’s office in Tamale were brought to a standstill on Wednesday July 8, after a group of beneficiaries under the Forestry Commission’s Youth Champions Initiative in the Tamale Central Constituency reportedly locked the facility in protest over months of unpaid salaries.
The aggrieved beneficiaries say they have gone for several months without receiving their salaries despite continuing to carry out their assigned responsibilities under the initiative.
According to the protesters, repeated appeals to the relevant authorities have yielded no positive response, leaving many of them in severe financial distress.
Carrying placards and expressing their frustration, the demonstrators accused the government of neglecting their welfare and failing to honour its financial obligations under the programme.
They insisted that the prolonged delay in salary payments had made it difficult for many of them to cater for their basic needs, including transportation, rent and family responsibilities.
The protesters subsequently locked the entrance to the Forestry Commission’s Tamale office, temporarily disrupting official activities as they demanded immediate intervention from the government and the management of the Commission.
The Youth Champions Initiative was introduced to engage young people in supporting environmental conservation, afforestation and other forestry-related activities while creating employment opportunities for the youth.
The beneficiaries are calling on the government to urgently release the outstanding salary arrears and provide a clear timeline for the payment of future salaries.
They warned that they would intensify their protests if their concerns are not addressed promptly.
As of the time of filing this report, officials of the Forestry Commission had not publicly responded to the protest or indicated when the outstanding salaries would be paid.
The demonstration adds to growing concerns over delayed payments under some government-supported employment programmes.
By 1960news.com
