The management of PSC Tema Shipyard has since last week refused to accept vessels for maintenance or servicing. This has placed boat owners in a difficult position. Boat owners whose vessels need maintenance can therefore not go for fishing for fear that they could encounter problems.

Mr Owusu Appiah, secretary of the local union at Tema, told the GNA in an interview that six vessels have lined up at the dry dock but have not been served. One vessel owner who is said to have paid an initial deposit of 100 million cedis for maintenance had his money refunded to him without any explanation.

Mr Appiah said at a meeting with the union members some time ago the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company said Business Focus of Malaysia, which own 60 percent shares in the company, instructed him (CEO) to make an attempt to close down the company because they had lost control of management.

On December 2 last year an attempt was made to declare some of the security personnel redundant. On January 6 the CEO allegedly requested the Administrative Manager to reduce the staff force by 25 percent through compulsory leave with effect from January 9.

Mr Appiah said on January 3, the CEO instructed the Project Management Department to issue out letters to customers to suspend intended ship maintenance until further notice because the company was encountering operational problems. ''There are no technical nor operational problems at the company and we see the CEO's move as an attempt of sabotage to create artificial shortage of job in a bid to close down the factory in order to comply with the directives of the partners.

Meanwhile the CEO was not immediately available for any comment and all efforts made by GNA to contact him proved futile.