Petroleum, gas tanker drivers declare strike over poor roads

Petroleum Tanker Drivers under the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers and Petroleum Gas Drivers Union have declared a sit-down strike over the deplorable condition of the Tema Oil Refinery to Kpone road in the Greater Accra Region.

The members of the union, who load their products from petroleum enclaves in Takoradi, Kumasi and Buipe, have withdrawn their services until the deplorable roads leading to those depots are rehabilitated.

The Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers union, George Teye Nyaunu, who declared the industrial action yesterday, told journalists that they were taking the action for their safety.

He explained that since the products they carried were highly immflammable products, it was not safe for them in case of an accident and emphasised that the strike would be in force until the authorities showed more commitment to fix the problem.

“The strike will continue until the authorities commit themselves firmly to a timeline for repairing the roads in the petroleum enclaves,” the chairman of the tankers drivers union stressed.

Some of the roads the union is complaining about include the one leading to the Fuel Trade company Ltd, the Tema Oil Refinery, Quantum Petroleum, Chase Petroleum and other petroleum and gas installations in the Kpone and Tema enclave, which it has described as a “serious risk to both health and safety due to the huge potholes.”

Petition, project

Mr Nyaunu said in 2017, the union petitioned the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who instructed the Minister of Roads and Highways to rehabilitate the roads in the enclave.

In August 2020, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, undertook a sod-cutting ceremony for the reconstruction of the 7.2 kilometre stretch from the Valco Roundabout Area to the Kpone link road.

The project was designed to expand the existing single carriageway to a dual carriageway with improved drainage systems.  

The first two kilometres within the heavy industrial zone was to have a concrete surface, while the remaining five would be asphaltic.

Per the timelines, construction works were expected to be completed within a 24-month period, but Mr Nyaunu said construction works had stalled, while the already deplorable road had further deteriorated.

He indicated that the recent rains had caused more destruction to the roads, making them very difficult for motorists to use.

He, therefore, called on the Minister of Roads and Highways to ensure that the road is fixed.

Impact

The chairman of the Gas Tanker Drivers Association, Shafiu Mohammed, said the bad roads were not only a danger to the tanker drivers and other road users but also took a toll on the health of drivers.

He said calls by the executive of petroleum unions had fallen on the deaf ears of the government as the roads in the petroleum and gas enclave continued to deteriorate not only in Tema, but Takoradi, Kumasi and Buipe.

Other drivers

Apart from the petroleum and gas tanker drivers, some commercial and private vehicle owners, as well as drivers of companies in the industrial area expressed concern about the state of the road.

Some road users, mostly taxi and heavy-duty vehicle drivers, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, complained that the nature of the road posed a great danger to users and businesses on the stretch.

"We are not asking for too much. the government should just ensure that roads are graded and compacted to ease movement.

The state of the road poses a great danger to the BVRs we drive,’’ one of the drivers said.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh