NPA CEO assures tanker drivers of improved working conditions

Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Edudzi Tameklo, Esq

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Kudzo Edudzi Tameklo, Esq., has assured the Ghana National Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union (GNPTDU) that the Authority will work to address concerns affecting the welfare and working conditions of tanker drivers.

Mr Tameklo gave the assurance during an emergency meeting with members of the national leadership of the GNPTDU at the NPA's head office on Wednesday.

The meeting followed a series of strike actions by the union, which have since been suspended. The industrial action was largely linked to concerns over the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery-Kpone Road and the deteriorating state of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) yard used by tanker drivers to park their vehicles.

Other concerns raised at the meeting included oil loss control, compensation for drivers who undertake long journeys on difficult roads and other welfare-related issues.

Responding to the concerns, Mr Tameklo said the NPA was committed to engaging the relevant institutions and stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the challenges confronting tanker drivers.

“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,” Mr Tameklo said.

“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 condition of the TOR-Kpone Road, the NPA CEO described the situation as a major concern and said he was advocating 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 stated.

“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, the National Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union, George Nyaunu, apologised to the NPA for the union's failure to notify the Authority before embarking on the strike.

He explained that the union had proceeded with the action because of the urgency of its concerns and thanked Mr Tameklo for agreeing to meet with them.

“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.

“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 underscored the NPA's commitment to engaging stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector to address challenges affecting the transportation of petroleum products and improve the safety and welfare of industry operators.