Some Staff of SSHFC on Sit-Down Strike

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SSHFC Head Office

By Nelson Manneh

This medium was informed that some staff of the Social Security Housing and Finance Cooperation (SSHFC), were on a peaceful sit down-strike since Monday November 12th 2018. This reporter visited their Banjul office yesterday November 14th, and sought confirmation by one of the senior staff who told him, that some staff members of the Corporation were on strike since Monday.

At the main entrance of the Corporation’s building Officers of the Gambia Police Force could be seen in their numbers, to secure the premise.

One of the staff who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity, said some staff members of the Corporation are on strike in solidarity with Mr. Camara, whose dismissal was recommended by a panel of investigators set up by the president; that the sit-down strike they are embarking on, is not the solution to their problems and said other alternatives should be used to express their grievances.

“I am not saying that Camara should not be punished but that should not make others to act like how they are doing now,” he said.

The anonymous staff told Foroyaa that on Monday 12th November 2018, a Gamtel cable was cut off and there was no internet connection; that they have to call the national GSM operator to come and fix it back, which was not done at the time he was speaking to this reporter; that most of the people on strike are junior staff and only a few of them are senior officers; that the junior staff on strike, can be punished at Management level.

“If the issue continue like this, I recommend the whole institution to be closed and for people to re-apply their positions again,” he said.

Concerning the PIU Officers who were there, the anonymous staff told this reporter that Government should not wait until something serious occurs and then send security officers afterwards.