I’m not a thief – GPRTU boss

But for the timely intervention of the Secretary of the Eastern Regional branch of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) Mr. Maxwell Kudekor, Mr. Isaac Akwetey-Okunor of the the Ghanaian Chronicle and this reporter the Akyem Tafo branch chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Mr. Yaw Atua would have invoked the powerful Ashanti river goddess, Antoa Nyaama on the Eastern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Heritage Newspaper Mr. Kojo Ansah for publishing a falsehood story about him.

According to the chairman, the daily heritage in its Friday, August 15, 2014 edition carried a story under the headline “Police boss swindle …by fake chief."

The publication indicated that Mr. Atua disguised himself as the Krontihene of Kwahu – Mpraeso and succeeded in deceiving the Eastern Regional commander of the Ghana Police Service DCOP Yaagy Akuriba to cause the transfer of the Akyem Tafo district police commander ASP John Yeboah.

“The fake chief, prior to embarking on the guise mission was under investigation for allegedly stealing GHc6,000.00 left in a taxi by a passenger," the report mentioned.

This according to the Akyem Tafo GPRTU chairman was not only untrue, but a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image by the reporter, and because he has not gotten money to take the reporter to court for redress, he would invoke the powerful river deity on him.

The 57 years old transport owner and farmer with seven (7) children who was bent on causing havoc went for six (6) local eggs, schnapps and a white sheep and ready to move to Antoa in the Ashanti region to carry out his mission.

The Daily Heritage regional correspondent upon receiving information about the intention of the GPRTU chairman called on the Secretary of the Eastern Regional branch of the GJA and two senior colleague Journalists in the region to move in to beg Mr. Atua.

Mr. Kudekor and Mr. N. Kwaku Solomon, the Eastern Regional Correspondent of the Daily Searchlight newspaper went to the house of Mr. Atua in the early hours of Saturday.

Narrating the incident, Mr. Atua disclosed that, he was at home somewhere early February this year when a driver who ply his trade from Kumasi to Koforidua came to him that a passenger who alighted at Tafo round about had left her belongings including Ghc,6000 and other personal items in his vehicle.

He continued that, the driver whose name was not given and a member of the Kumasi GPRTU decided to leave the items and money to him since the area said passenger alighted forms within the operations of the Akyem Tafo branch.

According to him, announcements were made on the various information centres and radio stations in the area as well as at funeral grounds for the person to come for identification and collection of items.

Mr. Atua veered that, two weeks later, he was again at the office when the said driver came to him for the items since that the owner of the said money and items have come to Kumasi to collect them.

The Akyem Tafo GPRTU chairman hinted that, he invited his executives to witness the handing over of the money and the other items to the driver after which he (driver) collected the items back to Kumasi, hence shocked that, about six (6) months after somebody would come to accused him of stealing.

On the position whether he is a chief or not, the soft-spoken chairman hinted he dressed in a kente cloth with a native sandal with other ornaments during his meeting with the Eastern Regional police commander because he is a royal.

According to him, he introduced himself as a ‘Kronti’ royal from Kwahu – Mpraeso during the meeting with the Regional police commander and never did he introduce himself as a chief as well not to influence the transfer of the Akyem Tafo Police commander.

He mentioned that, even though his meeting with the Regional commander boils down on some unprofessional conduct of ASP John Yeboah, he did not ask the Regional commander to transfer him (ASP Yeboah).

Mr. Kojo Ansah has since apologies to the GPRTU chairman, and he has also called on the general public to treat the said publication with the contempt it deserves since he was misled with force information by A.S.P. Yeboah.