Govt To Review Deal With Malaysians

THE government has decided to review its contractual agreement with the Malaysian majority shareholders of Tema PSC Shipyard and Drydock Company.

The move followed recommendations made to the government by the committee set up to investigate the Tema fire disaster and worker agitations against the management of the company which is alleged to be poorly managing the company and creating unbearable hardships for the workers.

Meanwhile, details of the government?s decision are expected to be announced in a White Paper to be released on Tuesday.

Reacting to the petition from the workers of the shipyard, the Minister of Harbours and Railways, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, said the government had taken adequate steps to save the company from further deterioration.

He said the government had also critically ensured that the workers? interests and concerns were protected while adequate measures had been taken to stop further withdrawals from the company's account.

In the petition, the workers were agitated about what they termed numerous anomalies that posed serious threats to the financial survival of the company.

The petition alleged that the ex-managing director who absconded on May 30, 2005 after he had been invited to appear before the committee that investigated the disaster had on May 15, been paid his full salary, including other allowances.

It said the expatriate staff were allowed to sign cheques on their own without passing their demands through the official channels.

They said the company was a viable entity which needed to be protected by the government to prevent it from collapse under the Malaysian management.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said the government in its review of the report brought before it by the disaster investigation committee, had considered all the necessary recommendations and expressed the hope that the decisions taken would be in the interest of all.

He called for calm while the issues were being addressed to restore the company to its former glory.

The minister hinted that the White Paper had identified who caused the fire and whose fault it was, saying: ?We have addressed the areas of liability and culpability as far as the disaster was concerned.?

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said the paper had also outlined measures that would be put in place to ensure that the disaster that claimed the lives of 18 people including three foreigners, would not occur again.