The Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John has once against given assurances that the delayed allowances of persons recruited unto the government’s Youth in Afforestation programme will be paid by close of day today [Wednesday].
According to him, the Commission has made the necessary arrangements to have the monies released to all the beneficiaries of the programme through their E-zwitch accounts.
Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie has been a put under attack by hundreds of the beneficiaries who have registered their displeasure through series of protests since September 2018 over the non-payment of their allowances for several months.
Some of the beneficiaries are owed about 6 months’ allowances.
But speaking to Citi News, the CEO of the Commission said the allowances will be paid on Wednesday and extra funds will be sent to the beneficiaries next week ahead of the Christmas festivities.
“I believe that by close of the day today [Wednesday], all of them will have their allowances paid. That also includes not only the August allowance by the July allowances. In a weeks’ time, another money will hit their account and I can assure you that they will also be laughing all the way to the bank so we all celebrate this yuletide.”
Over one hundred of the aggrieved beneficiaries on Tuesday besieged the premises of the Commission in protest of the delayed allowances.
That was not the first time they were embarking on such a protest as similar protests had been held in other regions in the country.
One of the beneficiaries told Citi News that, “We’ve not been paid for about 7 months up to now, and Sir John is going round telling radio and TV stations that we’ve been paid. We want him to go.”
Another beneficiary, who was visibly agitated over the matter said, “We are very frustrated. How can you work with people since July and you’ve not paid us. Anytime we come here, they don’t give us the listening ear.”
“Some even started as far as April and they have not even received 1 cedi,” another beneficiary said.
Other beneficiaries said they believe the Commission’s head is deliberately ignoring their concerns, and yet goes around boasting about employing many of them.
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Citinewsroom
