Minister urges members of garages to end impasse

Kumasi, Sept 2, GNA Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has appealed to the two factions of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG) in Kumasi to resolve their impasses to pave way for peace and progress at Suame Magazine. He said the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) would not take it kindly should any mayhem occur in the area as it happened in 1997 in which two people died.

Mr Owusu-Ansah was addressing the two groups - the current executive members with Mr John Yaw Damptey as chairman and Mr S.K. Sarhene, former chairman of the association - at a REGSEC meeting in Kumasi on Friday.

He said confrontations, squabbles and fighting would not help and the earlier they settled their differences and remained united the better they could move the association forward. I am expecting a day you will all come to me and ask for something from me as united artisans.

Earlier, Mr Sarhene had presented a white paper which indicated that he had been asked to be reinstated as the regional chairman of the association but the Regional Minister said the REGSEC could recognize him because that same paper had stated that the government had no hand in the activities of the association since it was a private organization.

Mr Owusu-Ansah said since there had been two elections after his departure as chairman with a current sitting executive elected based on rules and regulations of the association, they would therefore recognize the current one and not Sarhene.

He said Sarhene had the right to file his papers and contest for chairmanship if he so wished or he could go to court for redress if he felt his rights has been trampled upon.

We expect that you do that to bring peace and harmony into the association and the area, the minister said.