Tema workers demonstrate in support of TOR, Shipyard, Stevedore operators

Tema, May 12, GNA - About 1,000 members of the Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL), on Tuesday morning embarked on a peaceful demonstration in Tema to express their misgivings on events at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), PSC Tema Shipyard and Stevedore operations at the Tema Port. Workers of the three establishments, who were the main participants of the demonstration, wore their companies' t-shirts, and tied red bands on their heads, hands and necks.

The demonstrators, mainly men, sang war songs and carried placards as well as danced to brass band music.

Some of the placards read: "Father for all, give us our license", "Tsatsu must go back to jail", "$9m is better than $3m", "Mr President when are you taking over shipyard completely," and "Save TOR from tolling now". Others were: "Use debt recovering to bail TOR now", "Ghana's oil find, PSC Tema Shipyard is the base so save us now", "TOR is not a depot for others," and "Let our own crude oil flow, free TOR from GNPC now". The two-hour demonstration started at about 0815 hours and ended at about 1040 hours.

A red banner with the inscription "TOR, we need crude of our own" was carried in front of the procession, while a reachstaker, vehicle used for lifting containers, followed.

A large number of police personnel led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Augustine Gyening, Tema Regional Police Commander, accompanied the demonstrators, to ensure that it was peaceful.

Mr Wilson Agana, Chairman of the TDCL, the Council's executive members and leadership of the unions of the companies led the demonstrators from the forecourt of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), through the Community One casino road, Tema Polyclinic road, Adom FM, Community Five and back to the TMA.

Presenting the Council's resolutions to Mr Robert Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Agana stated that TOR needed the free hand to operate, since it was running at a loss due to the tolling system. He explained that under the tolling system, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) would import the crude oil, give it to TOR to refine, after which it decides the amount to pay the Refinery. He pointed out that the act could lead to the collapse of the Refinery, since paying only the processing fee, did not meet its operational expenses, which included maintenance of the plant.

Mr Agana refuted claims in certain circles that TOR owed Ghana Commercial Bank, explaining that the debt was due to the fact that state and other institutions, which often purchased TOR products, refused to pay on time, thus leaving the debt on TOR.

The TDCL Chairman noted that the Council did not want TOR to collapse, just as most of the companies established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah had folded up. He said it was unfortunate that even as Ghana was celebrating Dr Nkrumah's centenary anniversary, all his establishments with the exception of TOR and Volta River Authority (VRA) had collapsed. He called on the government to put in place proper arrangements to help solve TOR's issues.

On the PSC Tema Shipyard issue, Mr Agana commended the government for establishing a committee to look at a possible way of getting the 60 per cent shares.

He, however, appealed to government to expedite action to promptly take-over the 60 per cent shares it sold to the Malaysians to consolidate the legacies of Dr Nkrumah. Mr Agana also asked the government to re-structure the operations of the Shipyard in order to seal of f all loopholes that hindered its profitability and viability. Touching on the licensing of Stevedore operators, he said the Council was not happy about the inability of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to renew the licenses of Odart, CTS Co. Ltd, Dashwood and Fountain View. The TDCL Chairman said the act could lead to the laying off of about 5,000 workers, a situation, which would increase the unemployment problem facing the country.

Mr Agana further stated that the public not politicize the demonstration, as the workers were only exercising their right to save the operations of their companies.

Mr Ofosuware received the resolutions on behalf of President John Evans Atta Mills and commended the participants for demonstrating peacefully. He promised to forward the petitions to the President through the Regional Minister and gave the assurance that their grievances would be addressed.