A blood bath between two driver unions is brewing, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of New Juaben South in the Eastern Region is accused of taking sides with the breakaway group.
But, the MCE, Isaac Apaw-Gyasi, has denied the accusations.
Some former executives of the Progressive Transport Owners’ Association (PROTOA), who have formed a new transport union, have taken over the PROTOA station.
The land was allocated by the municipal assembly, and PROTOA executives expect the MCE to evict the new drivers’ union.
The PROTOA executives say the failure by the MCE to evict the new union for PROTOA to continue operating there suggests the MCE’s tacit support for the new union.
The PROTOA executives said the MCE did not give them a hearing when they went to him with their complaint, for which reason they are accusing the MCE of supporting the breakaway faction.
In an interview with The Finder, the Branch Chairman of ‘In God We Trust Transport Union’, Daniel Gyapong explained that PROTOA had gotten an allocation permit from the assembly to operate a lorry park.
However, a breakaway faction of PROTOA, known as Adikanfo Transport Union, laid claim to this piece of land.
Following the handing over of the old executives of the ‘In God We Trust’ Union,’ the new executives went to pay a courtesy call on the municipal chief executive, who told the group that he could not work with them since he only had dealings with the previous executives.
This statement did not go down well with the new executives from ‘In God We Trust’, who believe that the municipal chief executive should receive them as representatives of PROTOA and not as individuals.
Mr Apaw-Gyasi’s statement has led to a standoff between PROTOA and the assembly, leading to the involvement of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), formerly Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and the police.
Mr Gyapong alleged that the MCE had instructed the police to arrest him anytime he sets foot on the piece of land meant for a lorry park.
MCE’s side of the story
The Municipal Chief Executive of the New Juaben South Municipality, on his part, denied any involvement of the assembly in supporting the breakaway faction, emphasising that he doesn’t meddle in transport affairs.
“I don’t have any interest in this issue; the only time the assembly came in was when the peace of the community was disturbed,” he added.
Mr Apaw-Gyasi said he only impressed upon the new executives to ensure sanity prevails when they visited him.
The MCE dispelled the allegation that he had been bribed by the old executives, hence his recognition for the Adikanfo Transport Union. “The assertion that I’ve received bribe from the old executives that’s why I’m recognising them is false.”
Responding to the arrest allegation, the MCE flatly dismissed it, saying that he hasn’t instructed the police to arrest anyone.
Adikanfo Transport Union
When a member of the Adikanfo Transport Union was contacted by this paper to speak on the issue, he declined.
Source: Selorm GBORBIDZI || The Finder, Accra