Police fire rubber bullets at striking tanker drivers; 5 arrested

Five people including the Secretary of the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union have been arrested by the police following a clash with a rival group Monday morning during a sit-down strike by the drivers.

Two others were hit by rubber bullets in the melee when the police team deployed to the scene opened fire on the drivers who attempted to stop the rival union members from transporting liquefied petroleum gas at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

The confusion following the planned sit-down strike by drivers started when a national security operative attached to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) attempted to fire warning shots to disperse the demonstrators.

The demonstrators had gathered at the frontage of the refinery to stop some drivers from loading Petroleum products meant for distribution.

The drivers had laid down their tools in protestations over low wages and shortage deliveries which Petroleum refilling station owners have been billing them for, something they say its a case of temperature variations in products.

One of the drivers hit by rubber bullets.

More to follow...