In Kweikuma, a village in the Sekondi-Takoradi municipality of Ghana’s Western Region, a Chinese man is accused of slitting the neck of his Ghanaian employee, Isaac Boateng.
According to reports, Paulichenda Engineering, a Chinese-owned company, was hired to build structures adjacent to the Ghana Navy flats area’s apartments in Kweikuma.
According to one of the employees who spoke to Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson, the host of Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show, the workers were demanding their salaries when tempers exploded.
He said, “We have worked for the whole month and our salaries had not been paid so we had a meeting and asked our Chinese employer why we have not been paid. One of our colleagues went to the Chinese boss to find out what was wrong with the salaries because we have families and we are also owing some people.
“In the heat of the argument, the Chinese boss pulled a flick knife and slashed the throat of our colleague. He has incurred deep wounds, blood traces could be seen everywhere. He has been rushed to the Effiankwanta Hospital and we pray he will survive.”
According to the worker, military officers arrived and handled the situation after their colleague had been rushed to the hospital for treatment.
He said, “Some military [officers] intervened and calm was restored later but the foreigner who committed the crime is still walking around. We are in pain and demand justice for our brother. We are about eighty workers here and they pay each of us GH¢18 a day for the tedious construction work are doing here.”
When Connect FM visited the company’s premises, it was clear that there was a significant security presence, and some employees could be seen waiting in line to receive their paychecks in cash.
The case has now been submitted to the Adiembra Police Station for further investigation.
The victim, Isaac Boateng, a machine operator for the Company, is still receiving medical care.
Speaking from his hospital bed, he said, “The Police have taken my statement and I’m still under treatment.”