Business News of Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Source: Daily Guide

GNPA workers go on demonstration

Workers of the Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA) yesterday embarked on a demonstration at their head office located behind the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) at Kokomlemle to register their displeasure with government and the former Minister of Trade & Industry, Haruna Iddrisu for treating them unfairly.

According to the workers, for over seven months now, they have not been remunerated for their services at their workplace.

Wearing red arm and head bands, they chanted war songs and wielded placards some of which read, “GNPA Limited Workers Are Hungry & Dying In This Bitter Ghana” and “Mr President Save GNPA Ltd,” among others.

David Sowu, Chairman of the PMSU, who spoke to BUSINESS GUIDE in an interview, spoke vehemently against the ongoing actions by Government aimed at introducing equity participation and management of GNPA Limited by an unknown Indian investor without due process.

They also prevented Haruna Iddrisu from inaugurating a five-member interim management board yesterday at the head office.

“We don’t understand why Haruna Iddrisu’s portfolio has been changed and yet he is interested in establishing a board for GNPA Limited.”

They also criticized what they described as a worrying composition of the proposed interim management board which included potential investors and some two officials from the Ministry of Trade & Industry whom they said were championing the sale of GNPA.

The aggrieved workers also accused Haruna of hastily making changes to the GNPA official website to reflect the new arrangement, which they said they knew nothing about.

The company is said to be indebted to the tune of GH¢5 million.