Staff of state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) have hinted at plans to embark on an industrial strike next week if their allowances are not restored. 

The staff made this known at a press conference held today, Friday, 6 June 2023.

The Divisional Union Chairman of the GBC, Sam Nat Kevor, urged staff to clad themselves in red and wear red arm bands to work from next week until their demands are met.

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) recommended that the state-owned broadcaster implores its staff who have been receiving allowances that they did not deserve to refund.

According to the FWSC, some staff of state broadcasting corporation GBC are earning allowances they are not entitled to.

The discovery was made by the FWSC as part of its pay roll monitoring exercise.

The FWSC has, thus, recommended that some allowances of staff of the state-owned broadcasting company be taken off the payroll.

“Vehicle Maintenance Allowance should be taken off the payroll, GBC Computer Special Allowance should be taken off the payroll,” the FWSC stated, explaining that: “This has never been determined by the employer and was consolidated into the basic salary after the migration of GBC staff unto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SPSS).”

The FWSC further indicated “Category 4 Allowances,” which are meant for “Directors and above are currently being enjoyed by some staff below the rank of Directors.”

These include: “Rent allowance (739 staff), Domestic Servant Cleaner (4 staff), Domestic Servant Cook (3 staff), Domestic Servant Watchman (60 staff), Housing (8 staff), Entertainment (61 staff), Utility (Electricity, Water and Telephone) (59 staff)."

“This should be immediately stopped and taken off the payroll,” the FWSC directed.

It added: “Staff of GBC who have received the unearned allowances amounting to Two Million, Eighty-four Thousand and Twenty, Ghana Cedis (2,084,020.00) per annum should be made to refund the allowances in the appropriate GoG Suspense Accounts.”

The staff of the GBC have, however, indicated they will embark on a series of actions to ensure that the FWSC reinstates their allowances.