Some personnel of the Youth in Afforestation programme on Friday, July 2022 Organised press conference at Kumasi to demand better working conditions and the payment of their piled up stipends.
They complained that their allowances had not been paid for more than six months.
They had embarked on similar protests in the past.
They wielded placards with inscriptions such as: “No long talk, pay us our money o”, “No allowance, No Green Ghana” ,“We are hungry, no money to feed our families, pay us oo,” amongst others to express their concerns.
Speaking with kingdomnewsgh.com at their press conference at Kumasi Jubilee park by their national president, Rev Clement Asare , indicated that they will continue to stage such actions until their grievances are addressed.
“We are here for one reason, allowances of about 8 months, and for some of our members, 6 months, are still in arrears. We want the Forestry Commission and the relevant bodies involved to pay us our monies, else, we would embark on a mega demonstration where no one can stop us. After they pay us, we want improved conditions of service.”
Adding to the complaints, the Convener stated that each person is to plant 300 trees a day to aid government achieve its aim of planting more trees.
“We are not slaves, the government should pay us. Imagine people coming from far distances to work. We are suffering from hunger and facing humiliation from our landlords. We need to pay schools fees as well.”
Speaking on what the Commission has been telling them, he said the Commission says it is not in the position to pay them.
He said they further threatened to sabotage the government’s tree-planting project if they are not paid.
“We want to serve this caution to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources that we will not let the “Green Ghana” strive. They [government] should know that we are the conduit through which this programme is surviving.”
“If no leader speaks with us today, we would go home and return tomorrow violently. We would not listen to the police either because they didn’t respect us. Let us come in our numbers and no one should be afraid. We have lawyers who will defend us if anything happens.”
Meanwhile, some of the members also expressed their disappointment with the government.
