Tanker drivers want transporters’ contracts scrapped over poor salaries

The National Union of Petroleum Tankers Drivers (NUOTD) is calling on the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) to abrogate contract of transporters who fail to properly remunerate their drivers.

According to the union, the under payment of salaries by transporters is causing the siphoning of petroleum products in transit which creates shortages in some parts of the country.

A statement by the group and copied to Citi Business News indicated that some tanker drivers are poorly paid resulting in the siphoning of products which leads to huge product losses to BOST.

Speaking to Citi Business News, the Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum Tankers Drivers, Adarkwa Williams implored the BOST not to pay transporters who fail to adequately compensate their drivers.

“The contract will be taken away from you because those who don't pay, their drivers are encouraging them by siphoning fuel and that is not fair. That is why we are saying that every transporter should pay his driver. Those who don't pay their drivers; we are compiling the list and we will hand it to BOST so that their contract will be cancelled,” he stressed.

The Secretary of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union also indicated their readiness to render services to contractors willing to cooperate with them by catering for the welfare of their members.

“All that we are saying is that, any transporter who refuses to pay drivers should be kicked out of work. Some of the transporters are there fighting for contracts for their cars, so if you won't pay and someone will pay … we have a lot of them who pay their drivers very well and the drivers work for them and they are happy,” Adarkwa Williams further observed.

Meanwhile, the union has distanced itself from calls from some tanker drivers seeking that the BOST ceases the use of the metering system for loading and discharging petroleum products at the various depots across the country.

A statement by the union explained, “…this call is mischievous at best as it is leading us towards the old method of product theft resulting in huge losses across the BOST system and exposing us to many health hazards.”

The Union maintains that the former practice where they allowed top-ups at some of the depots to make up for the losses exposed them to health hazards,

“…Besides, there is a saw mill close to the Kumasi depot for example and fuel is very flammable. Therefore permitting the 'top up' with gallons are potential death traps as it can burn down the entire depot and the industries in the catchment area,” the union noted.

It added, “In the 21^st century we expected that we would embrace technology and equipment that are safe and protect our health. We shouldn't be going backward.”

To curb the issue of the siphoning of fuel, BOST introduced the metering system to replace the old dips and T-Bar system.

But the development has also been largely opposed by some of the drivers who accuse the BOST management of always tampering with the flow meters to satisfy their selfish interest.

They also allege that they (drivers) always run at a loss anytime the flow meter was used to measure their fuel.

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By: Norvan Acquah-Hayford/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana