{"id":223706,"date":"2016-06-20T05:45:53","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T05:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=223706"},"modified":"2016-06-20T05:45:53","modified_gmt":"2016-06-20T05:45:53","slug":"mass-resignations-hit-cocoa-processing-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/06\/mass-resignations-hit-cocoa-processing-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Mass resignations hit Cocoa Processing Company"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hundreds of\u00a0workers are resigning from the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC) in Tema over the mismanagement of the facility by the current administration.<\/p>\n
The development comes barely three months after the company stated that it is hopeful of meeting its 2016\u00a0target of processing about 3000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans<\/a><\/strong><\/span> after shutting down for maintenance works in January this year.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”v6vZQvOe9uEXtpsjNcYhzAKMZpWe3U33″]Citi Business News\u2019<\/strong> sources at the company indicate that most of the workers with their experience in the cocoa processing industry, are seeking greener pastures in other cocoa processing companies in Tema.<\/p>\n Some concerned workers who spoke to Citi Business News<\/strong> on condition of anonymity noted that the once viable company is operating at a loss; reasons for which salaries on several occasions have delayed without any explanation.<\/p>\n According to the concerned workers, the appalling administration has given room for the mass resignations.<\/p>\n They also intimated that the staff strength of the company has declined by over fifty percent as the number of workers has declined from an estimated 700 to about 200.<\/p>\n “Before our crisis we had a staff strength of about 700, but as we speak, we have around 200 members of staff and even that, the company is unable to pay salaries,” one worker told Citi Business News<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Inefficient management<\/strong><\/p>\n The concerned workers further alleged that some individuals are deliberately working against the survival of the company to serve the bid of some players in the industry.<\/p>\n They therefore maintained that for the CPC to be viable and profitable, government would have to merge it with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) since it has the financial strength to manage the facility and turn its fortunes around.<\/p>\n According to them, the facility which has the capacity to process about 50,000 plus tonnes of cocoa beans annually is now doing only 300 tonnes which is woefully inadequate .<\/p>\n “As we speak we do not have cocoa beans to process but instead we are working for some cocoa processing companies in Tema. Our machines are just being underutilized,” another worker remarked.<\/p>\n He further alleged that Managing Director is still at post and being paid even though has been on retirement since March 1, 2016.<\/p>\n The workers have also accused the Deputy MD in charge of operations, Frank Asante, as being part of key management members creating problems within the factory and have therefore called for his removal.<\/p>\n CPC shuts down plants for maintenance<\/strong><\/p>\n