Managers of the State Transport Corporation (STC), say the VIP bus transport operators’ resistance of their plans to begin operations at Asafo market in Kumasi, is largely because they are scared of competition.<\/p>\n
Some officials of STC, who had visited the Asafo Market terminal to launch the Corporation\u2019s new terminal were denied<\/strong><\/span> access to the venue by VIP bus officials.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”X38A2yI9LKLfDP6honeowyg3EBvyMcfv”]The Deputy Managing Director for STC, Sintim Aboagye, on the Citi Breakfast Show<\/strong> condemned the move, saying they had met all legal requirements needed to begin operations at the said area.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir problem is they don\u2019t want us to be here and they don\u2019t want us to be in competition with them and which I believe has no legal basis because in every industry competition is key, and I thought that if we should allow them to do that then that becomes monopoly.”<\/p>\n \u201cThe place does not belong to STC. The place belongs to the Kokofu branch of GPRTU. They had a 25-year permit and they have exhausted only one year, so they have about 24 years outstanding. We have entered into the tenancy agreement with them and we have acquired the necessary legal documentation from KMA to protect us and everything that has to be done to allow us to start our operations has been done.”<\/p>\n STC failed to consult other GPRTU branches<\/strong><\/p>\n But the Director of Finance for VIP, Prof. Lukemond Owusu Ansah, explained that his outfit staged the protest to oppose some GPRTU officials\u2019 decision to give out part of its land to STC without the consent of other branches of GPRTU.<\/p>\n \u201cThis issue came up and there was a little bit of violence here and we told them and the matter was taken to Manhyia \u2026They were told that the whole place was acquired by GPRTU and it was demarcated for the various branches\u2026 We have about 21 branches there and it is the property of GPRTU \u2026 One or two executives cannot sell the property of GPRTU to STC.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the whole 21 union members who are just contesting that it is constitutionally wrong\u2026We are only saying that STC cannot occupy GPRTU\u2019S land. It is not a property of Kokofu Union. It is a property of GPRTU as a whole\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n He also denied suggestions that they VIP transport operators, are only resisting STC because they are scared of competition.<\/p>\n One arrested in STC, VIP fight over terminal in Kumasi<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, one person has been arrested <\/a><\/strong><\/span>during a protest by workers of the Neoplan bus terminal at Asafo, Kumasi, in the standoff between them and the State Transport Company Limited (STC).<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Marian Ansah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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