Over 600 employees of Supremo Wood Processing Limited in the Asunafo North District of the Ahafo Region face potential job losses due to the increasing threat from illegal chainsaw operators targeting the company’s legally owned forest concessions.
The timber company’s management claims that not only are operations dwindling, but the lives of its workers are also in danger.
In response to the situation, employees held a peaceful protest on Thursday, April 18, 2024, displaying placards to voice their concerns and call for government intervention to protect their jobs.
One worker expressed fears over his education, while another emphasized the potential closure of the company, which would affect the livelihoods of many employees, including those who are caretakers and breadwinners for their families.
One said, “I am an orphan and I need money to support my education. Please help to ensure the company is not closed down. It will be difficult for us if the company is closed down.”
Another person also added, “If the government does not allow the military to come in and help us, then sooner or later, the company will be closed and all the workers will be out. You see, some of them are caretakers, we have children and all that.”
General Manager of Supremo Wood Processing Limited, Francis Asare, expressed concern for the safety of the staff and the company’s management, highlighting the numerous security threats they have faced.
He urged for the intervention of all Ghanaians and emphasized that they have already informed traditional leaders, the police, the Regional minister, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), but the actions taken so far have been slow.
“There are so many security threats to the managers of Supremo Processing Limited. There are so many threats on us, and there are so many threats coming on the Director. And if it goes this way, it means this company has to be shut down.
“We need the intervention of everybody, all Ghanaians to come in, we’ve done our part. We’ve informed Nananom, we’ve informed the police, we’ve gone to the regional minister, we’ve gone to MCE, our pleas have been heard but the actions being taken are slow for us.”
