5 Arrested As Tanker Drivers Clash With Police

Five people including the secretary of the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union were yesterday arrested by the police following a clash with a rival group 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 a 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 protestation over low wages and shortage deliveries which petroleum refilling station owners have been billing them for.

Meanwhile, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has assured consumers of petroleum products that there will be no fuel shortage in the country.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Hassan Tampuli, the authority had enough products in stock and the fears of shortage were unfounded.

“We have enough stock in the country. We have diesel for almost five weeks, petrol, five weeks, LPG we have about one week, aviation fuel almost three and half weeks.

“So we have enough products in the country more than Malaysia has, as developed as they are. So we do not have any challenges,” he said.

Mr Tampuli’s assurance comes after some members of the Tanker Drivers Union (TDU) embarked on a sit-down strike on Monday, over poor working conditions.

The Union made up of over 4,000 bulk transporters of petrol, diesel and other petroleum products has said it members will park their tankers until the NPA addresses concerns relating to their working conditions and welfare.

Describing the protest as illegal, Mr Tampuli said “a whole lot of them do not support this illegal strike and they are trying to physically stop them from loading.”

He said the drivers have every right to strike but should not have prevented others from working.