The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, has assured the Ghana National Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union (GNPTDU) of efforts to address concerns affecting their working conditions and welfare.
Mr. Tameklo gave the assurance during an emergency meeting with the national leadership of the GNPTDU at the NPA’s head office on Wednesday.
The meeting followed a series of strike actions by tanker drivers, which have since been suspended. The drivers’ concerns include the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery-Kpone Road, the deteriorating state of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) yard where trucks are parked, and other challenges affecting their work.
The union also raised concerns over oil loss control and the need for allowances for drivers who spend long hours navigating difficult road conditions.
Addressing the concerns, Mr. Tameklo said the NPA would work with relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions.
“We are doing all we can to get BOST to agree on these reforms because thankfully when this issue came up, we got a neutral person, which is the Ghana Standards Authority, to stand on the matter and give an unbiased report,” he said.
He added, “Let me assure you that the Authority will do everything possible to get to the bottom of this issue, because it is an industry old matter, so it is something that we will take up to look at how to resolve it.”
On the Tema Oil Refinery-Kpone Road, Mr. Tameklo said the NPA was pushing for the road to be included in the government’s “Big Push” infrastructure programme.
“We are looking at different models that we can use to sort this issue, I remember at a point, the roads minister suggested that the companies in that vicinity should contribute to fix the road and that last model was to include it in the big push, so that we can tow the place,” he said.
“I want to assure you that, I am pushing strongly for the road to be placed under the “Big Push” project, it is of major concern to us, because we have done so much in the downstream industry but this road deducts our mark,” he stressed.
For his part, National Chairman of the GNPTDU, George Nyaunu, apologised to the NPA for the union’s failure to notify the Authority before embarking on the strike.
“We want to apologise for not informing you ahead of time of our intended strike because we knew if we had told you, you’ll convince us not to go ahead with it,” he said.
“There was no mention of NPA, we only wanted to let our concerns be heard. We want to thank you for offering a listening ear to all our issues and hopefully solutions can be found to these matters.”
The meeting forms part of the NPA’s engagement with stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector to address challenges affecting the transportation of petroleum products and improve safety and working conditions across the industry.
