The Railway Workers Union of Ghana-TUC says staff at the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) are owed 11 months’ salary arrears from June 2025 to April 2026. In a furious press statement, the union called it a “serious breach” of the law and gave authorities until 31 May 2026 to pay up in full.
The union said the delay amounts to the “unlawful withholding of earned wages” and has left members facing “economic hardship and deprivation of workers’ livelihoods.”
It noted that while arrears from October 2024 to May 2025 have been partially cleared, the newer debt remains untouched.
The 31 May deadline follows a public assurance from the transport minister on April 24 in Kojokrom.
“Failure to comply will leave the Union with no option but to invoke all lawful remedies,” the statement said. That includes a strike under the Labour Act, a referral to the National Labour Commission, and other legal action.
839 workers face the axe
The union also raised the alarm over stalled talks on slashing the workforce from 839 to just 160-200 staff.
Discussions have dragged on since October 2025 with “no formal communication,” leaving workers anxious and uncertain about their futures.
It said the lack of clarity violates due process and workers’ rights to fair notice under redundancy rules. The only positive step, it added, was the deployment of 40 staff to run the Kojokrom-Sekondi-Takoradi DMU service – but called it “an isolated action” that doesn’t fix the bigger crisis.
The union is demanding a binding policy directive from the Ministry of Transport and Parliament’s Transport Committee by 30 June. It wants clear answers on staff status, severance terms, and a long-term plan to save the railway sector.
Western line neglect
Beyond wages and jobs, the union accused the government of neglecting the Western Railway Line, calling it a “critical national asset” that is being run down.
It said underinvestment is hurting productivity, inflating road repair costs, and wasting public money.
The union wants GRCL to be merged with the Ghana Railway Development Authority and for the Railway Act to be reviewed, citing Kenya and Tanzania as models where unified systems have worked.
Claims of shady deals
The statement also flagged alleged financial irregularities, including auction sales in the Sekondi-Takoradi-Tarkwa corridor and a GH¢40 million procurement of wooden sleepers and ballast.
The union is calling on the transport minister to release all facts, launch an independent probe, and publish a report. It also urged the Presidency to step in and “restore sanity” to the sector.
We will not remain silent
The union concluded that the current state of affairs is “unsustainable and legally indefensible.”
“We will not remain silent while workers suffer, and the railway sector deteriorates,” General Secretary Benjamin Essuman wrote. “We urge the government to act swiftly, decisively, and transparently.” The Ministry of Transport had not responded at the time of publication.
