NPA boss promises to tackle tanker drivers' grievances after strikes are suspended

Pinned summary · as of 07:13

The head of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, has pledged to work on the welfare and working-conditions complaints of petroleum tanker drivers. He spoke at an emergency meeting with the Ghana National Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union (GNPTDU), held after the drivers' strikes, which have since been suspended.

What we know

• Mr Tameklo, the NPA chief executive, assured the GNPTDU that the Authority would work to settle its members' complaints, and said it would look into the issues and seek solutions. "The Authority would do its best to get to the bottom of the issues raised and find solutions to them," he said.
• He gave the assurance at an emergency meeting on 30 September that came after a run of strikes by tanker drivers; the union has now suspended the action.
• The drivers' grievances centred on the bad condition of the Kpone road leading from the Tema Oil Refinery, and on the run-down BOST yard used to park their trucks.
• Oil-loss control and pay for drivers who spend long hours on bad roads were also discussed at the meeting.
• The union's national chairman, George Nyaunu, apologised for not informing the NPA before the strike and thanked Mr Tameklo for agreeing to meet the drivers and hear them out.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  Reports differ on the weekday of the meeting: Opemsuo 104.7 called it Tuesday, while MyJoyOnline said Wednesday. Both gave the date as 30 September.
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  The Vaultz News described the dispute as also involving inadequate parking facilities and said the NPA moved to address the drivers' concerns; this wording has not appeared in other reports.

Why it matters for Ghana

Tanker drivers move petroleum products from the Tema area to depots and filling stations, so a stoppage can interrupt fuel supply to consumers and businesses. Fixing the Tema Oil Refinery-Kpone road and the BOST yard would affect the daily safety and working hours of the drivers who use them. The outcome will show whether the regulator and the union can settle grievances without further strikes.