Management of Ghana Digital Centres Limited has defended its decision to temporarily suspend the employment contracts of staff following severe flood damage to its Accra facility, insisting the move does not amount to dismissals.
The decision comes after Monday’s heavy rains inundated the technology hub, disrupting operations, damaging equipment and affecting 23 tenant businesses that operate from the facility.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Wednesday, July 1, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Digital Centres Limited, Christine Adwoa Agyapomaa Ansong, said the company had not terminated any employee’s appointment despite concerns raised over an internal communication to staff.
“We have not dismissed them. What we have done is a temporary suspension of employment contracts. We have not laid anybody off,” she said.
According to her, management opted for the temporary measure because parts of the facility remain unsafe following the floods and the company currently lacks the capacity to sustain normal operations.
She stressed that since assuming office, the current management has not dismissed any employee and has instead worked to address workplace inequalities and improve staff welfare.
“There were people who had been sidelined and denied opportunities despite their qualifications. We worked to place people where we believed their qualifications deserved and paid them accordingly,” she explained.
Ms. Ansong said the decision was difficult because management understood the impact it would have on workers and their families, but noted that the company was dealing with an extraordinary situation.
“It is not easy for us to tell our workers that this place is not safe. The company is underwater. Go home for some time, let us restore the facility and then call you back,” she stated.
She also clarified that staff had been asked to return company laptops and equipment solely to enable management to assess losses and prepare an incident report for government.
“If we tell you to return your laptop, it is not because we have sacked you. We are taking stock of all company property because this is a government company and those assets belong to the state,” she said.
The Deputy CEO revealed that some laptops had been swept away by floodwaters while others were damaged, making a full inventory necessary.
She further explained that Ghana Digital Centres relies primarily on internally generated funds from office rentals and services provided to tenants. With many businesses affected by the floods, revenue generation has been severely disrupted.
“We generate our own funds. The space we use to generate income is underwater. Twenty-three tenants have been affected and have lost equipment and property. We cannot reasonably ask them to continue paying rent under these circumstances,” she said.
Ms. Ansong noted that the temporary suspension of employment contracts carries financial implications because the company currently has no sustainable source of income to support salaries while operations remain halted.
She described the flooding as a force majeure event that could legally justify terminating employment contracts but said management had deliberately chosen not to take that route.
“Although this is an act of God, we are not terminating anyone’s employment completely because we understand the situation. Our intention is to recall staff after the restoration of the facility,” she explained.
She appealed for understanding and support from employees and the public, adding that management is focused on restoring the centre and ensuring its long-term survival.
“My CEO and I have been working tirelessly to ensure the Digital Centre does not fold up. We still want to have a company at the end of the day so that our staff can return and continue working,” she said.
The floods, described by management as the worst to hit the facility in recent years, caused extensive damage to offices, furniture, electronic equipment and other infrastructure. Government officials, including Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister, Samuel Nartey George, have since visited the site to assess the destruction as recovery efforts continue.
