Tension is brewing among the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which has vehemently opposed a leaked memo allegedly issued by the Minister responsible for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
The memo, which has caused uproar within the EPA, concerns the allocation of the official bungalow of the Executive Director of the EPA to the newly appointed Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey.
The bungalow in question has a storied history, having been occupied by successive Executive Directors of the Agency since its construction in 1974, including the immediate past Director, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu. The land in question was originally was allocated to the EPA by the then Housing Department following which the EPA put up its current bungalow in 1974. The structure was later officially purchased by the Agency in the 1990s.
According to reports, the current Executive Director of the EPA, Dr. Kingsley Krugu, is being compelled to vacate the premises to allegedly accommodate Henry Quartey. This directive has sparked outrage among EPA officials and workers, who question the fate of Dr Krugu and express concerns over the Agency’s investment in the bungalow.
While some workers argue that the EPA has poured significant resources into maintaining the property and should not be forced to relinquish it, others suspect ulterior motives behind the Minister’s directive, speculating that the government may have interests in the land and its strategic location.
According to ghananewsonline.com, the situation has escalated within the EPA, with visible signs of dissent evident during a recent visit to the Agency’s headquarters. Red bands adorned the premises, symbolizing the workers’ discontent and their readiness to take action against what they perceived as an unjust decision, the news portal reports.
Discussions within the corridors of the EPA PUWU of the TUC reveal a growing agitation among workers, with talks of potential industrial actions if the government does not reconsider its plans to reassign the official bungalow of the EPA Director to the Minister of the Interior.
As tensions mount and voices of dissent grow louder, all eyes are on the government’s response to the outcry from EPA workers, with calls for dialogue and a fair resolution to the dispute becoming increasingly urgent.
Pulse
