Workers at PBC Limited, Ghana’s once-dominant cocoa purchasing company, have gone without salaries for over 27 months. This revelation intensifies pressure on the government to fulfill its commitment to revive the struggling firm. Employees issued a statement on Thursday, June 11, 2026, accusing the government of failing to act on multiple assurances.
These unpaid salaries total more than two years, causing significant financial hardship for workers and their families. Despite public pledges from President John Dramani Mahama and Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, conditions at PBC Limited have worsened. The company faces inadequate working capital, which has disrupted its operations and weakened its competitive position.
This situation underscores broader challenges within Ghana’s state-owned enterprises and the cocoa sector. The government has frequently intervened with promises of revitalization for struggling entities. PBC Limited’s decline from a leading player to its current state reflects systemic issues impacting Ghana’s economic productivity and employment. Previous government initiatives aimed at stabilizing key sectors have often faced implementation hurdles.
“Workers have gone without salary payment for more than 27 months,” the unions stated, highlighting the severe hardship. They reiterated that expectations for a turnaround spiked during the 2024 election campaign. President Mahama had promised to restore PBC to its “past glory” during tours of cocoa-growing regions. Similar assurances followed the elections and were repeated earlier in 2026.
The workers also expressed concern about the government’s takeover of the Buipe Shea Processing Factory. This factory is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PBC Limited. The unions demanded the factory’s return to PBC Limited or for its associated debt to be removed from the company’s books. They did not oppose state intervention but sought a resolution to ease PBC’s financial burden.
The financial plight of PBC employees is stark. Drivers earn about GHS 1,000 monthly, and clerical staff receive between GHS 1,200 and GHS 1,500. Some senior staff with advanced degrees earn between GHS 2,050 and GHS 3,500. Workers have not received salary increments for more than a decade, while casual employees have gone over 36 months without allowances. Some casual staff earn as little as GHS 350 monthly.
In a direct appeal, the workers warned President Mahama about the crisis’s devastating effects. “Staff are dying from an inability to afford hospital bills,” they said. They added, “We cannot pay our wards’ school fees, and feeding our families has become next to impossible.” The unions urged the government to move beyond promises and take concrete steps to rescue the company. They emphasized the importance of protecting existing jobs. The prolonged crisis risks further undermining public trust in government commitments to economic stability and job creation. Decision-makers must now address the immediate financial distress and implement a sustainable strategy for PBC Limited.