Tension builds up between two driver's unions in Ho

Ho, Aug. 22, GNA - Tension is building up between members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) operating at the Ho-Accra Lorry Station and the Co-operative Drivers Association (CDA), which has opened a new terminal opposite the exit gate of the Station. A breakaway group from GPRTU formed the CDA, which runs the same route, Ho-Accra.

Mr Moses Davor, Volta Regional Chairman of the GPRTU, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that so far they have been able to contain the provocative operational activities of CDA but warned that there was a limit to their patience.

He said as a result of persistent bickering between Ho-Accra GPRTU Branch Two, which was for chatter services, and GPRTU Ho-Accra Branch Five, the National Secretariat of the GPRTU negotiated the merger of the two Branches and dissolved the charter service of Branch Five. Mr Davor said some members of Branch Five, thereafter started a new station 50 metres from the main station with a certificate of registration from the Greater-Accra Region.

He said the GPRTU was not claiming any monopoly over loading rights, explaining, that the Union had operated a memorandum of understanding with a branch of the CDA on modes of loading within the main station without any problem for sometime now.

Mr Davor said his concern was the disorder that the splinter groups had brought to the station creating tension.

He said the trend now was for members, who flouted the rules of the GPRTU, to refuse to accept appropriate sanctions, revolt and join the splinter groups.

Mr Davor said the Police were notified but they did not do much to contain the situation asking how the Police could allow a station to operate at a place designated as a 'no stop' area.

He expressed reservations about the decision of the State Transport Corporation (STC) to load its buses at the station being used by the CDA when it has a terminal in Ho.

At the time of the visit by the GNA station canvassers had gone across the road, about 20 metres reach of the GPRTU station persuading passengers to join the STC Ho-Accra Bus parked at the CDA station while, other buses of the CDA were also loading passengers to Aflao at the entry gate.

Mr Frank Adzaho, who claimed to be an Executive of the CDA at the station, said they moved from the main station to the area to operate under the Association, claiming that there was the freedom for one to choose which union to work with.

Mr Nicholas Blewusi, Ho District Police Commander said as far the Police were aware the terminal being operated by the CDA was not an approved one.

He said the Police had been there to advise them to stop business there while they seek clearance from the District Assembly.