In the coming weeks, motorists are likely to experience a shortage of petroleum products at some of fuel stations as members of the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union have begun a sit-down strike to demand improved conditions of service.
The drivers cited unmet promises regarding salary enhancement and general working conditions.
For 35 years, Nana Antwi has been in the business of transporting petroleum products to the fuel stations.
The 73-year-old tanker driver says he would’ve wished to be on retirement by now, but he is left with no choice than to continue with the job since there is no retirement benefit for his services.
“Working at this age is not easy but I have no choice. We can’t sit unconcerned for similar things to happen to the young ones. We need to fight to streamline their conditions of service and secure a decent future for them”, Nana Antwi said.
This, among many other reasons, according to leadership of the tanker drivers, is why they are demanding a proper pay salary structure that comes with pension benefits.
An agreed policy framework proposed since November 2023 as a measure to enhance salaries and overall working environment of the drivers is yet to be approved and implemented by the National Petroleum Authority board.
“Imagine someone sitting on this time bomb transporting fuel all over the place and at the end of the day you cannot earn enough to cater for your family. There is nothing like pension benefit too. It is just not right, and we need to correct it now”, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Tanker Drivers’ Union, Edmund Baba angrily stated.
As a means of pressing for their demands, the drivers have grounded all their vehicles at their Kaase yard in Kumasi and other parking yards across the country.
The striking drivers have resolved to only reverse their decision when their concerns are addressed.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) is already warning of a looming fuel shortage if the concerns of the striking tanker drivers are not urgently resolved.
“The oil marketing companies cannot get you the products without those tanker drivers and what that adds to the woes of the Ghanaian is that, if that strike is not called off within the next 48 to 72 hours, we may soon have to queue to get fuel because the supply at the various fuel stations is likely to run out,” he indicated.
