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General News of Thursday, July 18, 2019
Source: Graphic.com.gh
2019-07-18
A section of workers at the facade of the main port of Tema during a demonstration
Despite several badurances, workers in the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) remain concerned about possible job losses following Meridian Ports Services' (MPS) start-up under a 35-year contract.
The Director General of GPHA, Mr. Michael Luguje, therefore badured the workers that no one would be fired, MPS taking care of the reception of the containers in the ports.
Instead, he asked the workers to make sure that they would obtain the expected results of the negotiations, which aimed at obtaining the necessary authority to maintain a certain level of container trade.
"I want your workers to know that the current process will produce fruitful results and that no one will receive a letter of dismissal because there is good will and there is no need to be alarmed because the process not exhausted, "Luguje said.
The insurances followed the threat of a strike by GPHA workers last Monday after the MPS had retained all import containers, including chilled (refrigerated) imports, by order of the Commissioner. General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). .
As of Sunday, July 14, the GPHA had received only 30 containers from the new terminal instead of 700, which, according to the workers, was incumbent upon him, which caused fears of a loss of jobs.
Tensions
Monday's unrest was partly due to a letter from Luguje dated 25 June 2019 to all shipping companies operating at the port stating that 90% of the applicable port tariffs would be paid to MPS, with the remaining GPHA still to be paid. 10%.
The workers' union leaders perceived the letter as a gesture by their management to withdraw from the renegotiations. On Sunday, June 14, they communicated to the workers the draft strike.
Annex agreement
A separate agreement on the 35-year concession between GPHA and MPS for the commissioning of the new port of the third terminal had agreed that the MPS had started handling the imports of refrigerators and then transferred them to GPHA for storage and delivery to the consignee or importer as payment of customs duties and handling charges.
However, a GRA directive on the retention of containers in the waste sorting systems of their facilities had caused confusion in the port as a result of what GPHA workers had called redundant measures.
The workers, who had been protesting against possible job losses in the port since March 2019, dressed in red clothes as they sang and sang at the main entrance to the port of Tema. last Monday.
They accused their management of giving up the fight for the renegotiation of the concession agreement between the GPHA and the MPS to allow the authority to handle some container business.
Disappointment
Mr. Luguje, accompanied by the port manager, Mrs. Sandra Opoku, expressed her astonishment and disappointment at the actions taken by the workers and told them that the letter had been made necessary by a previous letter from the MPS to the Lines. navigation payment as a percentage of all previously mentioned fees without recourse to the authority.
He indicated that the management of the GPHA had not changed their position regarding processes with MPS.
Mr. Luguje added that the solution would be to review the volume of GPHA's activities in the container business and to determine whether, as parties, the GPHA and MPS companies could agree that the latter be retained.
He warned the workers that even if management remained committed to defending their interests so that no one would lose their job, they should be seen as committed to working tirelessly to continue working more than ever before.
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