VALCO workers protest over alleged privatisation plans for state-owned aluminium company

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Workers of Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), supported by members of the Industrial and Commercial Workers' Union (ICU-Ghana), staged a protest on Monday over what they described as alleged plans to privatise the state-owned aluminium producer.

The demonstration took place at the VALCO Club House in Tema, where workers gathered wearing red and displayed placards expressing their opposition to any proposal that could result in changes to the company's ownership structure.

Workers oppose reported investment plans

According to the protesters, the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) is pursuing plans to introduce strategic equity investors into VALCO. They argued that such a move would effectively amount to the privatisation of the state-owned aluminium company.

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The demonstrators called on the Ghanaian government to retain full state ownership of VALCO, maintaining that the company should remain a national asset.

Placards carried during the protest included messages urging the government to protect VALCO and opposing any attempt to sell shares in the company.

Petition submitted to government

The protest was led by ICU-Ghana General Secretary Morgan Ayawine and concluded with the presentation of a petition to Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive Ebi Bright, who is expected to forward it to President John Dramani Mahama.

As of the time of the protest, no official response from the government or GIADEC regarding the allegations had been reported.

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