The timely intervention of officers from the Ministry’s Police Station averted what would have been bloodbath between two factions fighting over the control of the Ho branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the Accra Tema Station.
An Interim Management Committee (IMC) allegedly set up by the national Chairman, Alhaji Yaw Manu, stormed the Ho branch office last Friday with thugs and land guards to forcefully remove the duly elected officers of Francis Kugblenu, Alfred Nii Darpoh and Samuel Asante from office.
Tension was said to be at boiling point between the duly elected officers and their supporters and the IMC team, led by Awezo Mohammed, Emmanuel Asamoah and Proper Kumah, who had been sent there to take over the branch office.
In an interview with Chairman Kugblenu, he said Awezo and his gang have no right to take over the Ho GPRTU branch since no election had been held, stressing that until such an exercise was conducted nobody had the right to remove any officer from office with force.
According to him, if Awezo and his group have any grievances they should address it through the regional office, but not through the use of thugs and brute force.
Mr. Kugblenu maintained that the powers to remove any officer “is the sole preserve of the regional executives and not national”, saying Alhaji Yaw Manu cannot usurp the powers of the regional executives and set up an IMC to take over any GPRTU branch in the region.
However, Awezo Mohammed on his part said they have been mandated by the national Chairman to take over the branch since the current officers have been suspended.
The incident at the Ho branch last Friday follows a similar event at the Teshie-Nungua GPRTU branch around 23rd February this year when Alhaji Yaw Manu and his accomplices allegedly sent thugs to attack chairman Ahuma Kubi.
The Ministry’s police arrested one Konny in that incident but was later bailed by the national executives who have settled that matter out of court.
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