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General News of Tuesday, 20 March 2001

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

GPRTU Chairman Nabbed ...For Selling Fuel Above Control Price

Mr. George Dadzie, a leading member of the Western Regional branch of NDC and Chairman of the Asankragwa branch of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has been busted by the police for selling fuel above the government approved price of ?10,500 per a gallon.

Chronicle gathered that Dadzie, who owned a filling station at Asankragwa, refused to sell fuel at the new price in spite of persistent complaints by drivers who ply the area. "When the new price for fuel was released by the government and announced to the nation, Dadzie refused to comply with the government approved price.

For example, when a gallon of petrol was fixed at ?10,500, he sold his at ?12,500 to the drivers," a source close to the Western Regional Security Council (WRSC) told Chronicle. Chronicle gathered that all attempts by some concerned residents and drivers of Asankragwa to ensure that Dadzie sold his fuel at the approved price proved futile.

His recalcitrant position was reported to the WRSC about two weeks ago. Policemen were, therefore, dispatched from Sekondi-Takoradi to investigate the authenticity of the complaint and it was found to be true that the GPRTU Chairman was indeed selling the fuel at his own fixed price of ?12,500.

He was, therefore, arrested and taken to Sekondi for interrogation by the police. Chronicle learnt that Dadzie admitted selling the fuel above the approved price but blamed his conduct on the deplorable nature of the Asankragwa road.

"We were all shocked when we heard that Dadzie was trying to link his attitude to the deplorable road. As an executive or leading member of the NDC in the region who knows very well that the road leading to Asankragwa was in a very deplorable state, what action did he take to ensure that his NDC government rehabilitate the road?" An aggrieved resident of Asankragwa, asked.

"Dadzie claims that for the past five years, in every budget statement of the NDC government, Ghanaians were told that the government was going to construct or rehabilitate the Asankragwa road," he said, adding that it was irresponsible for Dadzie who is an Apostle of the NDC to justify his misdeeds with the deplorable road.

Dadzie was later granted police bail and all things being equal, he may be arraigned before court, but Chronicle intelligence sources gathered that some top NDC men in the Western Region and Wassa Amenfi were moving heaven and earth to get Dadzie out of trouble. Chronicle also learnt that when Dadzie was confronted by some residents, he boasted that nobody can touch him.