Staff of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) are threatening to embark on an industrial action should the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) fail to rescind its decision to subtract “unearned allowances” from their salaries.

According to the FWSC, it has taken some allowances from the payroll of some undeserving workers. 

The affected allowances include rent, housing, utility, vehicle maintenance and transportation, among others.

This decision has since been met with displeasure from the staff, who say inflation keeps rising therefore the withdrawal of such allowances will worsen the cost of living.

On the premises of GBC, workers were clad in red with placards placed at very prominent locations with inscriptions like “Inflation and Utility have consumed our 30%.”

Other staff questioned if the reduction was part of the conditions Ghana had to meet following negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

Chairman of GBC Senior Management Staff, Tahiru Abdul Razak Mohammed, said the FWSC should have consulted management of the Corporation before taking the decision.

Speaking with GBC news, he stressed that some of the workers are unhappy since the removal of these allowances was a betrayal of their hard work.

Other employees have argued that without these incentives, there may be a decline in motivation and productivity.

However, FWSC Boss, Ben Arthur insists the initiative forms part of its nationwide payroll monitoring exercise with Internal Audit Agency.

He explained that as part of the payroll monitoring exercise, it had been discovered that some staff of GBC are currently enjoying allowances that they are not entitled to.

Mr Arthur said the commission exists to ensure better working conditions for workers and will not compromise.

He added that a cleaner on the GBC payroll is paid a domestic staff allowance, an anomaly that should be corrected.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of GBC, Prof. Amin Alhassan, says the Corporation is working tirelessly to have the FWSC and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department rescind its current decision.