DCOP Bio-Atinga caution GNA workers to be calm

Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio-Atinga, on Wednesday appealed to staff of Ghana News Agency (GNA) to use legitimate means to solve their labour problems and allow peace to prevail.

“Be patient and go through the legitimate channel to seek redress,” she told leaders of the GNA Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) at a meeting. She explained that the police presence at the premises of GNA on Wednesday morning was not to intimidate workers but was because the General Manager, Nana Appau Duah felt insecure and asked the police for protection.

“Our intelligence told us that you will not be violent. Together undertake your routine assignment but for the police when it gets bloody we will be there,” she added.

The meeting between the police and the GNA union leaders was convened at the instance of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command following a letter received from the Management of GNA signed by Mr Francis Rex Annan, Administrative Manager that the staff had threatened to lock out Nana Appau Duah to prevent him from entering the premises because he has attained the compulsory retiring age of 60.

The letter, which was read to the Executives by the Regional Police Commander, also noted that the General Manager asked for police protection because his life was in danger.

Meanwhile, DCOP Bio-Atinga said she had also cautioned the General Manager and his Management team to stay within the confines of the law as the NMC tried to resolve the problem and that the police would not condone or compromise any wrong doing on anybody’s part.

The letter to the Police named the executives and other members of staff as the ring leaders creating problems for the Management in the Agency.

Those named in the letter were Mr. Ben Mintah, Chairman of the PSWU; Mr Enoch Antwi, Chairman CWU; Mr. Henry Adomako Oduro, Vice Chairman CWU; Mr Felix Attukwei Quaye, Secretary of the CWU; Mr Albert Allotey, Secretary of the PSWU and Mr Gideon Ametowodo, Chairman of GNA Welfare Committee.

Executives of the two Unions had already reminded the National Media Commission (NMC), the appointing authority, of the 1992 Constitutional provision that civil and public servants were expected to retire from active service on attaining 60 years.

They contended that due to the General Manager’s poor performance and incompetence his contract, which goes beyond his retirement age, should be abrogated in respect of the Constitutional provision.

The General Manager’s poor performance and incompetence was first made public by the Board Chairman of GNA, Dr Bonah Koomson at a staff durbar last December.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christian Yohuno, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Commander also at the meeting, said the police was concerned about the leaders and the names in the letter and advised them not to create any problem that would force the Police to intervene.

He said the Union Executives should resolve the problem through the NMC and urged the NMC to make their decisions clear to the staff to prevent any problem at the Agency.

ACP Yohuno also appealed to the Executives to notify the police about whatever action they wanted to take and always ensured that they respected the Public Order Act.

Mr Ben K. Mintah, Chairman of the GNA Branch of PSWU, pledged their commitment to work within the confines of the law and use due process to seek redress and would call on the police anytime for assistance.

“We assure you that we would go about our work in peace. We thank you for the cordial interaction,” he added.

Mr Gideon Ametowodo, Chairman of GNA Welfare Committee, said there was absolute peace in GNA and that the allegations contained in the letter to the Police were all false because nobody had threatened anyone in the Agency, not even to the General Manager.

Mr. James Lartey, General Secretary of the Communication Workers Union of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, who accompanied the Executives told the Police that Management of GNA have started issuing query letters to their members for commenting on issues that were already in the public domain.

He said the Union after receiving a copy of such queries, wrote to GNA management that the action was against the Labour Act and that it was ready to meet Management to address the issue internally but they had so far not receive any response from Management.