Kasseh Market sweepers strike over three months of unpaid wages

From November 2, 27 sanitation workers at Kasseh Market in Ghana's Ada East District are striking, demanding three months of unpaid wages. Each worker earns GH¢350 per month, meaning the group is owed GH¢1,050 in total, roughly GH¢28,000. Previously, their pay was GH¢250, the same amount they received under the Youth Employment Agency's sanitation deal with Zoomlion.

The workers, who wished to remain anonymous, stated they would not resume work until paid. By Wednesday, discarded rubbish from the market day accumulated, including plastic bags, waste, and leftover food. The Ada East District Chief Executive, Kenneth Kabu Kofi Kanor, did not comment on the strike. The workers blame the Ada East District Assembly for their current predicament.

The assembly reportedly increased their monthly pay from GH¢250 to GH¢350 after calling them to a meeting. Despite this, they have been unpaid for roughly two years under the previous government and an additional 10 months under the current one. The workers also alleged that National Democratic Congress (NDC) leaders had promised to raise their pay to GH¢700 during the 2024 election campaign.

Some claimed they face threats when speaking to journalists and that they are being accused of aligning with the opposition. Larger assemblies, such as the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, pay their workers far more than those in Ada East. The strike further highlights complaints about waste management at the market, with traders complaining of smoke from burning refuse in October.

The stakeholder involved in the workers' pay, the Ada East District Assembly, declined to comment on the matter.