Stop Encroachment On Our Land- GBC Union Tells GRA
The Union executives of the state broadcaster, GBC has asked the Ghana Revenue Authority to stop forthwith the ongoing grading of their fenced land opposite the Jubilee House at Kanda in Accra. Speaking to the press at a poorly attended staff meeting, the Chairman of the Union, Mr Sam Stan Kevor spoke boldly against the construction going on on their land at old broadcasting house.
“We cannot understand why GRA has left their big land at airport area and building on our land. How can a state institution trespass on another state institution land while both of which are serving the same state” ? Mr Kevor said this case started way back in August last year and they tried to stop the encroachers but they have come back with more force to take over the land this year and management is looking on without any action.
“In the first attempt, we drew management attention through a letter as well as this one. All what they are saying is that they are not involved and don’t know anything about it. They are telling us that because of the new land law on Government lands, there’s nothing they can do.
“According to him the contractors are DEVTRACO Company Ltd who disclosed they are contracted by GRA with the support of Ministry of Information and GBC management is in the known. The land in question is a fenced one which has the National Digital Terrestrial Television situated on it at the Old House that can serve as a land for future use.
Mr Kevor intimated that they informed the union divisional executives who met the Director – General and his lieutenants who made it clear that it is a letter from Ministry of Finance via Ministry of Information copied to GBC that stated that that land had been taken over for a project and that there’s nothing that can be done about it.
But he queried management why they didn’t inform the staff and the union of such strategic decision as lands are valuable assets in every institution’s life for future expansion. He gave an account of how similar land grabbing has been visited on the company in some parts of the country without any information whatsoever but that can hamper what he termed as short, medium and long term development of the company.
“It’s therefore imperative to guard against any such trespass by calling on GRA to back off from their land and use their own land sitting idle. The Chairman stated that, since they set a date to meet the press on the issue, management have been frustrating them and intimidating the workers to boycott the durbar but the union stood their ground no matter the small number of the staff present.
He said they are appealing to the Media Commission, MFWA, Parliament, Sector Ministry. GRA, PSWU and all stakeholders to step in to halt this unhealthy development to save GBC from future decline. Present at the meeting were all National Executives of GBC Union.
Source: Nana Poku/johnawuniktv@gmail.com
