By:Isaac Amoah/tntnewspapergh.com

The incumbent Chairman for the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Sumaila Boakye, has received an overwhelming endorsement with regard to the union’s indefinite suspended election, which was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 1st July 2025.

Some scenes from Ashanti Regional Secretariat of GPRTU

The national executives and the TUC leadership were supposed to supervise the election in line with their constitution. However, an injunction filed by three members of the Takoradi-Elubo branch of the union against the candidature of Sumaila Boakye, who is seeking re-election, received an overwhelming shout of “No Sumaila Boakye, no vote” by the delegates.

Sumaila Boakye (2nd left) responding to cheers from the delegates after the suspension of the elections

As a result, the GPRTU national leadership and the TUC executives agreed to put the elections on hold indefinitely.

“We’ve worked with Somaila Boakye and realised he is faithful, hard-working and results-oriented. All that majority of the delegates are saying is simple: No Somaila Boakye, no vote in Ashanti GPRTU. He has settled all the outstanding debts he came to inherit and he has brought hope to the Ashanti Regional branch of GPRTU,” they pointed out.

“The leadership should do the necessary thing to resolve whatever issues are available to allow him to contest; for 10 to 20 years, he (Sumaila Boakye) will continue to remain our chairman,” they added.

Sumaila Boakye was expected to battle it out with one Nana Kwame Afriyie for the Ashanti Regional chairmanship post.

There was near confusion and confrontation at the Ashanti Regional Secretariat of GPRTU of TUC at Kwame Antwi office in Kumasi over a petition seeking the removal of the incumbent chairman from the postponed election.

Mr. Samuel Addai, Ashanti Regional Vice-Chairman speaking to the media

Speaking to journalists on why the election was put on hold at the ninth-hour, Mr. Samuel Addai, Ashanti Regional Vice-Chairman of the Union, explained that they had information in the late hours of Monday 30th June 2025, from three members of the Takoradi-Elubo branch of the union, who had gone to court to stop the incumbent from contesting.

As a result, all the stakeholders decided to put the election on hold to allow Chairman Sumaila Boakye to respond to the issue in court.

“The accusers claim they have some accountability issues with him to address, hence their decision,” he explained.