According to the union executives, Mr Owusu Koranteng who is the General Secretary of the Maritime and Dock Workers Union is unhappy with the new merger between PSC Tema Shipyard and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority,  thus he is using a few union members to disrupt operations.

The Seniors Staff Union Chairman, Christian Kofi Dogbe said “there is no tension mounting within the Tema Shipyard company and there is no iota of truth in the reportage which was maliciously planted in the media by some disgruntled union members of MDU.

Currently as we speak, the company is doing just fine and we have received quite a number of first class vessels for maintenance works”

He noted that Mr Owusu Koranteng’s outburst is as a result of the formation of a rivalry union group by name PSMDU which has more numbers as compared to the mother union MDU.

“The problem is that, a new union has emerged which MDU is unhappy with and also MDU want government to abrogate the merger between PSC Tema Shipyard and GPHA which majority of us are opposed. The company has come of age and we shall not allow it to be toyed with again” he stressed.

Mr Dogbe said ever since GPHA took over, things have highly improved in the yard and more vessels have been docking for maintenance works.

“Mr Owusu Koranteng is the main problem we are facing here at Tema Shipyard because of his parochial interest and we shall resist any untoward move by him and his assigns to save the image of Tema Shipyard.”

The Junior staff union secretary of PSMDU, Stephen Tetteh Quaye also accused the Maritime and Dock Workers Union of double standard by calling for the abrogation of the merger between the Shipyard and GPHA.

He said in a press conference held in Accra on the 15th of August 2013, the MDU advocated for a merger between GPHA and Shipyard adding that, it is however questionable for the same union to be calling for an abrogation after the said proposal has been met.

“If not for personal parochial interest why would the same Union which quoted the GPHA as having the financial muscle to manage Tema Shipyard turn back and call for another proposal for a succesful and fruitfhl merger to be abrogated after their wishes have been met,”he questioned.

Mr Quaye called on the new government not to heed to the calls from the MDU since it does not represent the views of the majority of the staff.

He assured the public and its clients from neighbouring countries not to be alarmed by the false reportage and continue to use the Tema Drydock as their number one vessel maintenance yard.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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