Workers of the five Destination Inspection Companies (DIC’s) have petitioned President Mahama to consider a transitional period for the hand-over to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and their final absorption into the Single Window Scheme.

They are also demanding from government, an official agreement to integrate them into the operations of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

Over 500 workers who are to lose their jobs from Monday, 31^st August, 2015 – following government’s decision to end its contract with the five DIC’s.

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority is to take over the Destination Inspection role at the ports from Tuesday, September, 01.  IT Company, West Blue Consulting is to offer support services to Customs to implement the Single Window Scheme at the ports.

Government has indicated it is working to create some job opportunities for the affected workers. Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Murtula Mohammed said  “there are a lot of discussions that government is having to see how best those people can be given some engagements.              

Government is particularly concerned and something is being done to see how best those people can indeed be created some opportunities such that they can’t all go home”

But a Press Conference on Friday, August 28, 2015 the Spokesperson for the five DIC’s, Carl Sowah emphasized the need for government to do more to prove its commitment.

“Its verbal but we want pen put to paper – something concrete. We want a commitment from them so that we know that it was agreed that by this date or that date Mr. A and Mr. B would be placed here or there after the necessary assessment. The would that the government is really concerned about us and its taking the verbal promise a step further” he told Joy Business.

According to the workers, they expected a further period of employment based on a transition beyond the expiration of their contract.

They cite the Tamale accord which according to them proposed a transitional period for three years and formed the basis for changes and infrastructural investments of millions of cedis by their managements.