Youth in Afforestation beneficiaries ‘storm’ Finance Ministry over unpaid allowances

Some aggrieved beneficiaries of Youth in Afforestation program stormed the premises of the Finance Ministry today to demand unpaid allowances accrued over the last few months.

The beneficiaries numbering over 300 who have a two-year contract with the government through the Forestry Commission complain of the hardship they have been forced to endure as a result of the non-payment of their allowance for several months.

According to them, the inability of the government to meet its obligation consistently, is due to the absence of a clear policy document on the model they are enrolled to.

The aggrieved beneficiaries want an end to the model if government cannot pay them.

In March this year, a similar protest was held by the beneficiaries with the latest one organised in August 2019.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, John Owusu Afriyie however, in June had given assurances that the beneficiaries allowances were going to be paid.

He indicated the Commission owes its workers for only three months and not more than that.