There is growing tension at the newly constructed Achimota Terminal Station between members of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), TODAY has gathered.
PROTOA Chairman Achimota Main Terminal station, Mohammed Awal
This development, the paper discovered, is as a result of a directive issued by the Welfare Association of the new Achimota Terminal Station which prevents drivers under the umbrella of PROTOA from commuting passengers from the new Achimota Station to Suhum-Nsawam.
The directive singed by the Routes Committee Chairman, Mr N. K. Marfor, on December 17, 2010, gives drivers of Gye Nyame Branch 2, an affiliate of GPRTU, the right and power to commute passengers from Achimota to Suhum- Nsawam, and not to share this route with any transport union.
As a result, PROTOA members are upset with the decision and have vowed to fight tooth and nail to have their fair share, because according to them, they were first to start plying the Suhum-Nsawam route at the old Achimota station.
Their anger also stems from the fact that GPRTU has employed deliberate and clandestine moves to cheat them (PROTOA members), by claiming that their government is in power.
Reports indicate that on the 21st December, 2009, there was near bloodbath when the Chairman of GPRTU, Mr Paul Anti, attempted to prevent drivers of PROTOA from conveying passengers from the station to Suhum-Nsawam, even though both parties had earlier on agreed to share this route 50-50.
That incident, the paper was informed, resulted in exchange of blows between members of the two unions.
But the matter was later resolved by the National Chairman of PROTOA, Mr Ben Amoabeng Peprah, who had to engage both sides in a marathon meeting.
In the course of our finding, TODAY discovered that GPRTU has a lion share of 18 routes at the said terminal whilst PROTOA is allowed to ply on only 8 routes.
With this small number of routes given to PROTOA, TODAY’s forays indicated that GPRTU still had some interest in the PROTOA’s routes.
Instead, the GPRTU, the paper learnt, has condoned with the Welfare Committee (WC) to cheat members of PROTOA.
Further checks by TODAY revealed that the WC is made up mainly GPRTU members. And this normally creates confusion between members of GPRTU and any private transport union at the station.
This reporter gathered that this is as a result of the domineering posture of the GPRTU whose members are in the majority.
In an interview with Mr Mohammed Awal, the Chairman of Achimota branch of PROTOA, he disclosed that PROTOA was the first transport union to operate on the Achimota to Suhum-Nsawam route at the old Achimota station.
The paper can recall a similar rift which occurred between GPRTU and PROTOA branch of (Madina-Odumase-Kpong-Juapong branch) in the year 2005. This case which went to court saw Mrs Felicity Amoah, the presiding judge, ruling in favour of PROTOA.
Portion of the ruling dated 5th day of December, 2005, suit No. B MISC.73/06 stated that “As a transport operator, the plaintiff is under a statutory obligation or duty to pay the levies so that it could operate on the road; and not only this route but any public road.
The verdict added … “The crucial question for determination is, whether or not the payment of these levies give the plaintiff exclusive use of this particular route since the road is publicly owned by the state.”
TODAY further learnt that between the hours of 5-8 p.m., drivers under Gye-Nyame union at the Achimota new terminal station cheat passengers by charging high fares.
The drivers charge GH¢1 from Achimota to Nsawam instead of the approved 0.75 pesewas.
The situation at Circle-Nsawam lorry station was nothing different from what was being practised by Gye-Nyame drivers at Achimota.
For example, during last year Christmas festivities, this reporter found out that drivers were charging GH¢1 from Circle-Nsawam instead of 0.85 pesewas.
Speaking to TODAY, one Mr Michael Ofosu, who works at Nestle Company Ltd., related that there were some drivers who charged GH¢ 2.00 from Achimota to Nsawam during Christmas last year.
When the paper contacted the Manager of the Achimota Terminal, Nana Tuffuor Antwi, he disclosed that he knew nothing about the current rift between the GPRTU and PROTOA adding that he has not been officially informed.
“Nothing of this nature has been brought to my attention; we the management deal directly with the welfare and as far as I am concerned I don’t have the slightest idea about what you are talking about.” Nana Tuffuor stated.
The Welfare Committee Chairman, Abubakar Salihu, together with other members of the welfare committee debunked the allegation by passengers, stressing that “It is untrue that Gye-Nyame branch of drivers charge high fares.
STORY: MILLICENT YARO
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