By Ousman Saidykhan
Several Gamcel employees have petitioned the company’s Management, calling for the prompt payment of their December 2024 salaries and a more attentive approach to handling staff concerns. The employees have also voiced dissatisfaction with the Management’s approach to staff affairs, which they claim has been lacking for over two years.
The petition highlights the delay in salary payments, stating, “Salaries due for the end of December 2024 have still not been paid. We demand that this be paid immediately and within a week at the latest. Salaries due to staff at the end of April 2024 were paid on 23rd May 2024.”
The concerned staff members further noted that they have faced similar delays since 2022.
The situation underscores ongoing issues within the company regarding timely salary payments and handling employee concerns. Gamcel management has yet to publicly respond to the petition or outline any steps they plan to take to address these grievances. This development comes amid broader discussions about regional employee rights and corporate responsibility.
The company’s Managing Director, Lamin Tunkara, wanted the concerned staff to select a few members to meet them upstairs and hand him the petition without the media present. However, the petitioners insisted that the Management must come down and receive the demands in the presence of all the members and the media for “transparency” purposes.
The M.D. later came down and received the partition after his failed attempt to get the Director of Human Resources, Momodou Jammeh, to receive it on his behalf.
The petitioners said their payments to the Credit Union are being deducted, but they have been unable to access them for two years. “We demand that these payments be reconciled and information provided on how to access them when needed within the next three weeks.”
The petitioners, who seemed to be scared of possible punishment for their actions, have called on the Management not to engage in any “retributive action against staff for raising genuine concerns.”
According to the concerned staff, the staff’s medical insurance has been stopped for almost three years without any explanation, and their Social Security information has not been accessible to staff who have lodged inquiries with the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC).
“Staff personal income taxes are being deducted but appear not to be paid, which is affecting staff from accessing other services such as clearance for vehicles, etc. We demand an explanation of where these deductions are being paid and for all outstanding payments to be deposited in the appropriate accounts so that staff can access other services. An explanation of this is required within a week, and all payments are to be regularised within three weeks,” said the petitioners.
They alleged that some cell sites have “very poor” sanitary conditions and that there are no sanitary provisions for the staff “across many cell sites.” They demanded that access to “adequate and clean sanitary conditions” be provided within three months since staff are required to spend long working hours at those sites.
The staff mentioned insufficient and unpaid cash power at cell sites, poor maintenance leading to worn-out parts, lack of investment, and lack of mobility as issues affecting the “smooth delivery” of services,
demanding the provision of “sufficient investment in required parts and the provision of sufficient mobility for maintenance staff to be able to carry out their duties.”
“All this has created a demoralized and demotivated staff at Gamcel, ultimately affecting service delivery to the required satisfactory standards,” said the concerned staff.
