Juju scare hits Tema Port
Alleged juju jabs thrown by two female employees of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) who fiercely contested for an executive position in the Junior Staff Association's local union elections nearly marred the election process.
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The elections, which came off on Wednesday, August 25, 2015, after months of campaigning by contestants who sought to be elected to various positions, threw the port community into a state of shock when it emerged that the two ladies who contested a position had visited a voodoo shrine to solicit for magical powers to enable them emerged victorious over the other.
As such, the elections, which was originally scheduled to come off in June, had to be postponed until it came off last Wednesday.
Management
A management source, who spoke to The Mirror on condition of anonymity, indicated that they received a report that one of the female aspirants visited a voodoo shrine with the photograph of her competitor, soliciting some form of favour to enable her win majority votes for the position they were both contesting.
"Unknown to the lady, the competitor's husband also went to the same shrine on behalf of the wife to also solicit spiritual assistance", the source posited.
"The man was ,however, taken aback when he saw his wife's picture on a notice board like structure situated at the shrine, and upon enquiries, the spiritualist told him a lady whom the wife was contesting a union position with at work brought the picture to be assisted spiritually to enable her win", the source added.
The source stressed that the man, armed with the information, relayed it to the wife who lodged a complaint with the management of the GPHA and a decision was taken to refer the issue to the General Secretary of the Maritime and Dock Workers Union (MDU) for redress, while the elections were put on hold.
Suspension of elections
The General Secretary of the MDU, Mr Daniel Owusu Koranteng ,however, told The Mirror that while they heard rumours of some juju allegations that made the rounds, there was no official communication from the management of GPHA to the MDU.
"Juju rumours are rife in the port environment, so when we heard such, we thought they were mere allegations. Never did we anticipate employees seeking to be elected to union positions would go that far seeking juju favours", Mr Owusu-Koranteng said.
He, however, debunked suggestions that the elections were postponed from June to last Wednesday as a result of the juju allegations.
"The postponement was necessitated by a court injunction by some leaders at the Takoradi Port, who felt holding the election in June was an attempt to truncate their term of office which was due to expire in September 2015.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng explained that the unionised elections, which were previously held in September, was changed to June by the previous MDU national executive members, "so when we also took over, we maintain the June date, a decision the local GPHA union attempted to truncate during their term in office", he emphasised.
Mr Owusu-Koranteng ,however, gave an assurance that the MDU would investigate the matter when it comes to it officially.