Prudential Bank Staff Storm Head Office in Red: Protest Erupts Over ‘Selective’ Salary Hikes and Pay Inequality
Employees of Prudential Bank Ghana Limited, backed by the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), staged a dramatic sit-down protest at the bank’s Kanda head office on Wednesday, demanding a fair 15% salary increase and an end to alleged discriminatory benefits that favor new hires over long-serving staff.
The demonstration, marked by red armbands and headbands, chants of solidarity, and placards reading “Equal Pay for Equal Work” and “No More Selective Increases,” highlights deepening discontent within the indigenous lender amid economic pressures and leadership changes.
The protest, erupting around 9:00 a.m., saw dozens of workers block entrances to the 8 John Hammond Street headquarters, halting operations and drawing crowds in Accra’s bustling Ring Road Central.
Demonstrators accused the “new leadership”—installed post-2024 management reshuffles—of implementing “unfair and selective salary increments,” prioritizing junior or recently recruited employees while sidelining veterans who “built the bank from scratch.”
“We’ve dedicated years to Prudential’s growth, yet new faces get raises we deserve— this is discrimination and exploitation,” one anonymous teller told 3News, echoing grievances over stagnant wages in a sector where inflation hit 22.5% in September 2025.
Prudential Bank, a 29-year-old indigenous powerhouse with 41 branches across Ghana and assets topping GH¢3.5 billion as of 2024, has faced scrutiny for labor practices since its 2023 ICU affiliation drive.
The ICU, representing over 200 staff, claims the bank’s recent 5-7% across-the-board adjustment—announced in August—excluded overtime pay and performance bonuses for core operations teams, exacerbating income gaps in a workforce averaging GH¢1,500 monthly amid rising living costs.
Videos circulating on social media captured the sit-in’s intensity, with workers linking arms and singing union anthems, prompting a swift response from management.
A crunch meeting between ICU leaders and executives is underway at the head office, with union spokesperson Kofi Mensah vowing, “We won’t resume until our 15% demand is met and transparency on benefits is assured.”
The bank, which prides itself on “dependable” services for SMEs and retail clients, has not issued an official statement, but sources indicate concessions like a joint audit of payroll disparities may be on the table to avert escalation.
This standoff reflects broader banking sector unrest, following similar ICU actions at Consolidated Bank Ghana in July over delayed promotions. As Ghana’s financial hub grapples with 14.7% youth unemployment and post-2024 reforms, the protest underscores calls for equitable labor policies in an industry employing 50,000 but plagued by wage disparities.
