Use appropriate channels to address grievances - GPRTU Chairman

Mr Godfred Abulbire, Upper East Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), has advised members to use the appropriate channels to address their grievances, instead of resorting to the law courts.

On August 8, 2012, some aggrieved members of the Union, including Mr Mahama Baba Abugre, Mr Mohammed Alangre, Mr Abuba Salifu and Mr Emmanuel Anaba, filed a suit alleging that the Regional Executives breached the Union's Constitution in 2010 and 2011 by not preparing audit reports and holding Annual General Meetings within those periods.

They therefore, prayed the court, among other reliefs, that the Regional Chairman, Mr Abulbire be ordered to step aside, for an Interim Management Committee to take over.

The case dragged on for a period of four years, but it was finally settled by a Bolgatanga High Court Judge, Justice Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha, on May 4 this year, who threw out the suit brought against the Regional Executives on legal and technical grounds.

Speaking at a victory ceremony in Bolgatanga, which attracted all the Union members including some of the Plaintiffs, the Regional Chairman admonished members to use laid down rules as stipulated in the constitution in addressing their grievances.

He educated the members that per the Union's Constitution, aggrieved members could address their grievances by using the Regional Executive Council, the National Executive Council, the Union's Board and lastly the Trades Union Congress.

He told the members that they would be infringing upon the Union's constitution if they ignored all the laid down rules, and resorted to the courts .

He indicated that the just-ended court case would not only served as a lesson to members, but also as a precedence for future reference.

The Regional Chairman impressed upon the members to bury their differences for the sake of growth and development of the Union, and pointed out that the time, energy and resources used at the courts, could have been channeled into the growth of the Union.

"Nevertheless all is not lost. There are plans for more development. One of them is to build a Guest house to be used as resting place for drivers particularly for those who will traveling at long distances. All the development plans will not materialize if we are not united. All members of GPRTU are one so let's maintain that standard. The victory is for all GPRTU members and not for the Regional Executive alone", Mr Abulbire stated.

The members, drawn from the 35 branches in all the 13 district, pledged more support to the Regional Executives.

They used the occasion to share ideas on how to promote the activities of the Union.