The Ghana Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union, is asking for the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Hassan Tampuli and has called on the President to make sure their request is granted.
Their calls come as a result of the union saying that, the head of the authority has failed to address some of their grievances which continues to affect their operations.
In a press conference held in Accra, the Chairman of the Petroleum Tankers Union, George Nyaunu addressing the media revealed that, there were a lot of grievances the National Petroleum Authority has failed to address.
He said that, drivers were harassed at various check points by Western and Central Regional police officers, there have also been a closing down of 86 gas filling outlets which have legal licences to operate.
He added that, there has been non-compliance of transit losses and refusal of the depot operators to abide by the 20-degree Celsius loading temperatures, non-compliance of 2017 Memorandum of Understanding signed by stakeholders on drivers and mates condition of service, as well as the NPA’s inability to ensure that drivers get their portion of the benefit of Covid-19 fund to essential or front line workers.
Mr. Nyaunu then threw an allegation against NPA CEO, Mr. Tampuli of treating drivers unfairly by not making sure that drivers get a fair playing field as stakeholders in the downstream sector.
“Mr. Tampuli has not been helpful. Maybe, the position is bigger than him. Police officers have been beating and slapping drivers. We have complained to National Petroleum Authority. Meetings have been held on the issue yet the situation is the same.”
Mr Nyaunu further said that, if President Akufo-Addo fails to act by sacking the NPA CEO or get their issues resolved, they would have no other option than embark on nationwide strike action.
“We are hoping for a favourable response from the President and NPA following which we will advise ourselves on our next line of action.”
Over the weekend, the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union declared a strike action and directed all drivers not to move their trucks on Monday, October 19, 2020.
The National Secretariat of the Union instructed all the drivers to report to their various loading gantries at Tema TOR Union Offices, Takoradi, Buipe and Kumasi respectively.
In a statement signed by the various chairmen of the respective zonal areas as well as the National Chairman of the Union, George Nyaunu, the Union stated that the strike action follows months of agitation between the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association and the National Petroleum Authority.
Earlier this year as well, the union also protested against the implementation of the new Electronic Cargo Tracking System by the National Petroleum Authority and also the authority asking tanker drivers to stop parking around the Tema Oil Refinery enclave and relocate to a new 1000 truck capacity tanker yard.
The Electronic Cargo Tracking System and the National Command Centre from the National Petroleum Authority was launched in Accra in January this year to improve the efficiency of NPA in the monitoring of Bulk Roads Vehicles nationwide.
The move was aimed at eliminating or reducing illicit activities associated with the transportation of petroleum products across the country but the drivers were also against this and said the NPA was not being fair to the drivers.
