Mac Manu Threatens to Sue GPHA Union

The Board Chairman of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Peter Mac Manu, has threatened to sue some senior and Junior Staff Union of the Authority for spewing lies against him.

He indicated that he has consulted his lawyer and would pursue legal action against the Union for defamatory comments against his personality.

Addressing the media yesterday in Accra, Mr. Mac Manu denied the allegations of corruption levelled against him, describing it as a fabrication to tarnish his image and paint the ruling party (NPP) as corrupt.

Workers at GPHA are reported to have accused Mac Manu of engaging in wrongful undertakings as well as running a family and friends’ administration since he assumed office.

According to them, they are being compelled to pay double for travels since the board chairman’s wife took over ticketing at the Authority.

Responding to the allegations, he bemoaned that his wife’s company (Special T Travels) which has been in existence since 2005, were contracted by GPHA months before he (Mac Manu) was in as Board Chairman in July last year.

He further stated that he made full disclosure to the Board about his wife’s company dealing with GPHA.

“My wife’s travel and tour company, Special T Travels, first secured a contract to issue tickets for GPHA staff travel in 2005. In fact, the NDC, after winning power abrogated the contract in 2009. The only reason they lost the contract was because of me. Special T Travels went back to GPHA in March 2017 to be re-engaged when I was not even a Board Chairman,” he disclosed.

LNG Terminal Project

Mr. Mac Manu was also accused by the union of forcing GPHA to be short-changed in a concession by asking the management to pay $200,000 for 25 years to facilitate a Liquefied Natural Gas.

Debunking the allegation, he noted that GPHA does not make any capital contribution to the construction of the LNG terminal, and stressed that the project is being financed by Tema LNG itself.

He also stated that the estimated value of the concession to GPHA is 100 million over the life time of the contract and not 200,000 as announced by the Union.

According to him, the entire marine infrastructure comprising a newly constructed breakwater, mooring infrastructure, dredged facilities, would rather become the property of the Authority after 12 years.

“The Consortium is funding the refurbishment of an existing breakwater of which the Authority is the ultimate beneficiary. The total investment in the marine works is estimated around $200 million. Far from the $200 million figure quoted in the Unions’ press paper, the Authority will receive in excess of $5.5 million annually in the form of royalties and other fees from the Consortium,” he stressed.

Meanwhile the Director at the Tema Port, Mr. Osei, has released a Memo debunking allegations that the Board Chairman attempted to sell a 24Vdc Caterpillar engine starter, which goes ¢9,000 from Mantrac Ghana Limited, to the Authority at ¢30,000 from his supply company.

He confirmed that a 24Vdc Caterpillar engine starter was purchased on May 2, 2018, from Mantrac for ¢9,644.72 cedis, and stressed that no other engine starter has been purchased from any vendor since then.

By: Emmanuel Yeboah Britwum