Workers at the Akosombo Industrial Company Limited (AICL), formerly Akosombo Textiles Ltd. (ATL), have pleaded with the government to intervene and bring in a new investor to manage the company.
The factory has been facing challenges, including heavy indebtedness and a decline in production, which has resulted in workers going without salaries for over six months.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Local Union Chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union (ICU), Stephen Nkansah and his Secretary, Joseph Otu Botwe, cited ineffective management strategies as one of the causes that had led to a significant decline in production and employment.
Mr Botwe said at its peak, the factory employed over 3,000 workers and produced 36,000 metres of cloth daily.
However, production has since plummeted and the factory now employs less than 450 workers.
He said ATL had the potential to significantly reduce unemployment within the Asuogyaman, Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo and North Tongu districts, and that supporting the company to operate at full capacity would increase the workforce and provide direct jobs and revive the local economy.
"Workers believe that the tremendous support ATL once gave these districts, through employment, social responsibility and economic activities, can be revisited under new leadership," he said.
Potential
The local union chairman told the Daily Graphic that despite the many challenges, several investors from countries such as China, Hong Kong and the UK had expressed interest in taking over the factory.
He, however, indicated that progress on that process had been slow and the workers were growing increasingly frustrated.
Mr Nkansah said that due to the current operations of the factory, staff have had to endure delayed salaries for the past five months, while other welfare concerns, including contributions to SSNIT, tier one pension obligations, leave allowances, long-service awards and annual bonuses, were in arrears.
“It has been a very difficult time for us and our families.
We hope the investor’s intervention will restore dignity to the workforce.
"We believe that a new investor can provide the necessary capital, management expertise and fresh ideas to revive the factory and stimulate economic growth in the region," Mr Nkansah said.
He, therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry to intervene to revive the ATL, stressing the potential benefits of government intervention, including job creation and economic growth.
He opined that ATL would once again become a thriving textile manufacturer with the right support and investment, providing employment opportunities and contributing to Ghana's economic growth.
