Mampong (Ashanti Region.), 12 Oct '98 Members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have clashed with their Co-operative Transport Society (CTS) counterparts at the Ejura lorry station.

Two policemen, Constables Mark Osei and Gabriel Asagkpene, were assaulted and a Mercedez Benz bus vandalised in the process.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Mampong, Mr Francis Agyemang, told the GRi at Mampong that the CTS's decision to reduce lorry fares might have triggered off the GPRTU's attack.

The CTS reduced the Ejura-Kumasi fare of 2,400 cedis charged by the GPRTU to 2,000 cedis and Mampong-Ejura, from 1,000 cedis to 800 cedis.

At Ejura, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Stephen Fiamordzi advised the two factions to be law-abiding.

Alhaji Mohammed Gyamfi, GPRTU chairman, in an interview said his union has 103 commercial vehicles and that the arrival of a rival transport union poses a threat to the future of GPRTU, hence the resistance.

The Ejurahene, Nana Kwaku Sarfo the second, expressed dismay about the "monopolistic attitude of the GPRTU" which, he noted, is at variance with the Constitution.

He commended the Ashanti Regional Police administration for the timely intervention to the situation under control.

Meanwhile, Ejura is under police guard to prevent any further clashes. GRi