Private transport union stand their ground against

Apam(Central Region), 17 March '99 -

District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies have no right to audit accounts of any branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU). It is also wrong for district assemblies to sanction any branch union without reference to the authorities of the mother union, Mr J.K.Nkansah, central regional chairman of the GPRTU said at a meeting at Apam on Tuesday. Mr Nkansah was commenting on an audit inspection ordered by Mr Kow Anyanful, Gomoa district chief executive into the accounts of the Apam branch of the union. Mr Anyanful ordered the inspection following protests by some members of the branch union over an alleged embezzlement of funds by their executives. The inspection report, a copy of which was sent to the regional secretariat, revealed that the executives embezzled more than eight million cedis between May, 1995 to December, 1997. Because of the impasse, a general election for the branch union scheduled for last Sunday could not be held. When contacted, Mr Anyanful expressed surprise that Mr Nkansah could turn round to accuse him for interfering with the administration of the GPRTU. He said at a meeting convened at Cape Coast by the deputy regional minister, Nana Jehu-Appiah, to find a solution to the impasse between the protesting members and the executives, which was getting out of hand, he (Anyanful) was asked to order an audit inspection of the accounts of the branch. Mr Anyanful said Mr Nkansah took active part in the deliberations at that meeting and never objected to the setting up of an audit team. He said as head of district security committee, he will not sit down, unconcerned "for a group of people parading in the clothes of trade unions to disturb the peace."