NPP Executives clash with Castle Security

..Ghana International Airlines in trouble?
Accra, April 8, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Friday evening prevented Castle security personnel from locking out the Chief Executives Officers of the Ghana International Airlines.

The Security personnel, including the Director of National Security, Mr K. Duodu and the Regional Executives, including about 27 Constituency Chairmen had hot exchange of words, which attracted large crowd to the premises of the GIA near the Kotoka International Airport.

Narrating the incident to Ghana News Agency, Mr Boye Laryea, NPP Greater Accra Regional Financial Secretary said around 1730 hours, the regional Chairman, Mr Sammy Crabbe, who is also the Vice President in-charge of operations of GIA had a call from the Castle directing GIA executives to vacate their post immediately.

He said in solidarity with the Chairman, all the executives suspended a meeting they were having and moved to GIA Office where they met Mr. Duodu and four other plain cloths security personnel.

According to Mr. Laryea, the security personnel said they were under instructions from the Castle to lock out the Chief Executives and other offices of the GIA.

"We demanded their identity and a warrant for the action they intended to undertake, but when we noticed that they were not prepared to show any identity card and had no warrant, we moved in to prevent the illegal action." the NPP regional executive member stated.

Mr Crabbe told the GNA that executives of GIA met Mr Kwadwo Mpianim, Minister for Presidential Affairs at the Castle to discuss the operations of the airline, "but the meeting ended on the rocks as the Airline Officials were not prepared to accept certain new conditions that the Minister intended to introduce. Our officials were virtually sacked from the Castle."

He said; "we would not allow anybody to interfere in the affairs of the operations of the airlines, the President is not in the country, my brother we are marching straight to the residence of the Vice President to inform him."

When Ghana News Agency visited the premises of the GIA around 21:15 hours, the place was calm, with scores of Policemen on duty.