�Antoa Nyamaa� Halts Sofoline Interchange

Progress of work on the construction of the Sofoline interchange in Kumasi has virtually come to a standstill because angry workers who embarked on demonstrations against the management of the Chinese firm have invoked the powerful Ashanti deity, �Antoa Nyamaa�, and other river deities, until their grievances are resolved. Out of fury and frustration, some aggrieved workers protesting over poor working conditions invoked a curse, using the powerful deity �Antoa Nyamaa�, and other river goddesses on any employee who dared to step foot on the Sofoline construction site, until their complaints are addressed by the management of the China Geo-Engineering Company. The invocation of the dreaded Ashanti river deity means none of the protesting workers can go to the field until traditional rituals were performed to revoke the curse. Work on the project has grinded to a halt since last week Tuesday, as angry workers protested over poor service conditions and harsh treatment being meted out to them by their Chinese employees. The enraged workers last Tuesday went berserk, burning car tyres and putting their employees under siege for several hours, in demonstrating their disapproval of the conditions of service prevailing at the work place. The incensed workers were protesting against what they termed inhumane treatment being suffered at the hands of their employers, and the refusal by Management to regularize their services to enable them becomes full employees of the company. They therefore threatened that until their grievances were resolved by the Chinese Company, they were not going to revert their stance, and not even the intervention of city authorities that the workers should go back to work while their complaints were handled by the company, would make them budge. The workers, therefore, invoked the powerful deities last Friday with the view of cementing their position and to prevent any worker from compromising their stance. When The Chronicle visited the construction at Sofoline junction site over the weekend, it was apparent that the curse had actually worked to perfection, as none of the workers were seen working. Some of the workers said they would have preferred to resume work but they dreaded the consequences that cold befall them as a result of the curse. Meanwhile, reports received by the Chronicle yesterday morning indicated that the Chief of Kwadaso, who has jurisdiction over the area, was being consulted for the necessary traditional rituals to be performed so that the curse would be revoked.