About Us

WHO WE ARE

The General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union of Ghana TUC was born out of what used to be Post, Transport and Maritime Workers’ Union in the 1940s. The 1966 coup which toppled the regime of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah brought about many changes in the Ghana Trade Union Movement. Among the changes was the brake up of the Post, Transport and Maritime Worker’s’ Union into five (5) separate unions, namely:

General Transport and Petroleum Workers’ Union
Post and Telecommunication Workers ’Union
Maritime and Dockworkers’ Union
Teamsters and Private Transport Workers’ Union
Deep Sea Farers Union

1^st Biennial Delegates Conference

Brother J.E. Adjetey Mohenu, who was the Assistant General Secretary of Post, Transport and Maritime Workers’ Union became the Acting General Secretary of the new Union i.e General Transport and Petroleum Workers’ Union. The first elections of National officers were held in the same year (1966) and the following officers were elected for a period of two years.

Brother B. A. Okwabi – National Chairman
Brother H.A. Mingle – National Vice Chairman
Brother K. A. Osei-Mensah – General Secretary
Brother M.A. Obeney – 1^st National Trustee
Brother E.A. Tedeku – 2^nd National Trustee

2^nd Biennial Delegates Conference (1968 -1970):

The 2^nd Biennial Delegates Conference took place at the Ghana Labour College on August 1968. Brother K. E. Osei-Mensah retained his position as the General Secretary of the Union.

In 1972 the State Transport Company (STC) Division of the Union attempted to breakaway and form their Union. The then Commissioner for Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operative in the Acheampong regime, Major Kwame Asante, who on numerous occasion had expressed his opposition to witness of union outside the 17 national unions at the time invited the leadership, National Executive Council members and STC Division to a fact finding meeting with the aim to resolve their differences. The meeting was chaired by the Commissioner with the then Chief Labour Officer, the Secretary General (Brother A. M. Issifu) Brother J.F. Nortey, and Principal of Ghana Labour College.

During that meeting it was established that brother K. A. Osei-Mensah (General Secretary) and his executive committee had mismanage the Union and as a result the union had become bankrupt. These facts infuriated the Commissioner and he immediately dissolved the Executive Committee and appointed an interim Management Committee as follows:

Brother A. K. Yankey – Interim General Secretary
Brother F. A. Sampah (Nii Manakata IV) – Chairman
Brother P. Awotwe- Menash – Trustee

1^st Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference (1974-1978)

After a year, an Extra-Ordinary Delegate Conference was held on 9^th and 10^th February 1974 at the Ghana Labour College, Accra. That conference became the first quadrennial delegate’s conference of the Union. New National Officers were elected to operate the Union. This time, the officers elected had mandate for a period of four (4) years.

2^nd Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference (1978-1982)

In the year 1978, the Second Quadrennial Delegate Conference was held from 10^th – 11^th February 1978 at the Ghana Labour College, Accra. During the conference, delegates adopted the word “CHEMICAL” to be added to the General Transport and Petroleum Workers’ Unions to read “General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers’ Union”.

In the later part of 1982, a group called Association of Local Unions (ALU) invaded the Hall of Trade Unions and forcibly ejected all General Secretaries from office and formed Interim Management Committee (IMC). Brother Yaw Asare of GIHOC Pharmaceutical and Napoleon K. Amoah, a Secretariat staff were nominated as interim General Secretary and Secretary respectively till conference time.

The following were the members of the GTPCWU Interim Management Committee (IMC)

Brother I. Ashiety –Larbie – Member, S.T.C
Brother R. R .Dzisam – Member, Mobil
Brother Anthony M. Eshun – Member, Shell
Brother A.P. Adu-Yeboah – Member, Ghanair

Extra Ordinary Delegate’s Conference – 1983

On Thursday, 10- 11^th March, 1983, an Extra Ordinary Delegates Conference was held at Social Advance Centre, Accra to elect new officers. At the end of the Conference, National Officers were elected to run the Union from 1983-1987.

A few months after his election as the General Secretary, Brother Yankey resigned to contest for the post of Secretary General of Ghana T.U.C. An emergency Executive Council Meeting was summoned. Brother Napoleon K. Amoah, who was then the Senior Industrial Relations Officer (S.I.R.O.) of the Union, was charge to act as General Secretary for the period. Brother P. Asante-Mensah, an employee of S.T.C. was later seconded to the Secretariat as Deputy General Secretary by the National Executive Council members as part of the re-organization of the National Union.

3^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference (1987-1991)

The 3^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers’ Union took place at the Young Men‘s Christian Association (YMCA) from the 23^rd– 24^th April, 1987, Accra. National Officers were elected at the end of the Conference for the quadrennial.

From this period onwards, elections had been going on after every four (4) years without any interactions. Brother R.M.D. Mosore and Sister Dora Kyeremateng resigned their positions as National Officers when they were promoted to Senior Staff status. It must be noted that certain levels of the Senior Staff position were regarded as non-union member during this period. Currently, the Union covers both Junior, Senior and Managerial staff.

4^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference (1991-1995)

The 4^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference was held at Ghana Museum and Monument Centre, in Accra to elect National Officers for the period (1991-1995).

During the course of their stewardship, Brother Benjamin Yawson resigned his position as the 2^nd National Trustee. This was due to non- co-operative attitudes between his local assistant and himself, and Brother R.W. Mosoro was made to replace him. During the same period, there were some allegations that the incumbent General Secretary and his National Chairman had misappropriated the Union’s funds. At the end of their term of office, both the General Secretary and the National Chairman lost their positions.

5^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (1996-2000)

The 5^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference was held on Thursday, 9^th February, 1996. At the end the Conference, National Officers were elected for the quadrennial

6^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2000-2004)

The Union held its 6^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference at the National Sports Collage, Winneba, from the 2^nd – 4^th March, 2000 and National Officers were elected for a four (4) year term to run the affairs of the union.

During the latter part in the first year of the four (4) year term of office, the General Secretary, Brother J.N.Y. Atopley contested for the office of the Secretary General (Administration) of the Trade Union Congress and won. In April, 2001, by the requirement of the Union’s constitution, a bye-election was conducted at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) conference hall. Brother Emmanuel Armstrong Mensah and Prince Alfred Amissah were elected General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary respectively to serve from 2001- 2004.

7^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2004-2008)

The 7^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference was held at the Bunso Cocoa College in the Eastern Region from 17 – 19 March 2004. At the end of the Conference, the Union elected National Officers for the next four year period.

8^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2008-2012)

In the year 2008, the Union held its 8^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference at Bunso Cocoa College in the Eastern Region from 12 – 14 March 2008. At the end of the conference, National Officers were elected for the period.

9^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2012-2016)

The 9^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference was held from 13^th – 15^th March 2012 at the Eredec Hotel, Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana. At the end of the conference, National Officers were elected for a four (4) year term to run the affairs of the union.

In the year 2013, after serving just a year of his term in office, allegation was brought to the attention of the Management Committee of the Union regarding the conduct of the General Secretary, Brother E. A. Mensah. A Sub-committee was set-up by the Management Committee to investigate the allegation. Base on the report of the sub-committee, Brother E. A. Mensah was suspended by the Management Committee subject to National Executive Council (NEC) decision. Hence NEC meeting was organised to look into the recommendations by the Management Committee sub-committee. NEC confirmed the recommendations by the Management Committee sub-committee that the General Secretary misconducted himself and therefore should be suspended.

Extra Ordinary Delegate’s Conference – 2013

On 1^st August 2013, an Extra Ordinary Delegates Conference was held at GNAT Conference Hall, Accra. Conference agreed that the General Secretary grossly misconducted himself in office and therefore voted to remove him from office. The Deputy General Secretary, Brother Fuseini Iddrisu was then elected as the new General Secretary whilst the Senior IRO in the person of Brother Francis Sallah was elected as the Deputy General Secretary.

10^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2016 -2020)

The 10^th Quadrennial Delegate’s Conference was held at Windy Lodge Annex, Winneba in the Central Region from 6^th – 8^th March 2008. At the end of the conference, National Officers were elected for the period:

11^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference (2020 – 2024)

The 11^th Quadrennial Delegates Conference was again held at Windy Lodge Annex, Winneba in the Central Region from 13^th – 15^th August 2020. At the end of the conference, National Officers were elected and are expected to be in office from August 2020 to March 2024: