ACCRA — Hundreds of personnel across the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) have gone without salaries for 14 months, according to an investigation by the Ghana News Agency (GNA). The prolonged backlog has left workers struggling to meet basic needs, raising questions about the government’s commitment to the agency. The GNA investigation found that a significant number of workers recruited after the change in government have not received any pay since assuming duty.
Despite this, they have reportedly been carrying out official responsibilities in districts, municipalities, and regions nationwide. Many affected workers say they are struggling to cover household expenses, rent, children’s education, and healthcare costs.
Some described traveling long distances to work each day using borrowed money, while others have accumulated debt just to survive. “We have served the nation diligently despite the difficulties,” one group of workers told GNA. Another employee described the situation as “heartbreaking and demoralising.” The salary problems affect personnel at all levels, including those attached to district, municipal, and regional offices.
Further complicating matters, many workers have not received official staff identification cards. This has created uncertainty about their employment status and raised concerns about administrative processes within the organisation.
Some workers expressed frustration that validation exercises intended to process salaries were arranged and then cancelled. The GNA investigation did not specify the total number of workers affected or the exact amount owed, but the scale of the hardship is evident from the accounts of employees who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. The situation underscores a challenge for the disaster management agency, which relies on its personnel to respond to emergencies across the country.
With workers unpaid for more than a year, questions are mounting about the government’s commitment to the institution and its ability to retain experienced staff. For now, affected workers continue to report for duty, hoping that the validation exercises will eventually lead to payment.
