The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) is pushing for a quick resolution of the road concerns raised by the Ghana National Tankers Drivers Union to avert a shortage of petroleum products in the coming days.
According to the CBOD, delays in addressing the concerns of the drivers could pose serious impact on the supply of petroleum products.
The Chief Executive of the Chamber, Dr. Patrick Kweku Ofori, warned that moving fuel will be a challenge if the strike is allowed to enter into three days. Today, June, 27, 2023 is day two of the strike.
“Our members who have products at anchorage and vessels at the ports will suffer greatly when it comes to demurrage charges if the issue is not resolved”, Dr. Ofori cautioned, adding that “the more this action goes on, the more devastating it will affect the economy”.
Background
The National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union in a letter to the management of the Tema Oil Refinery on June 22, 2023 declared its intention to strike from June 26, 2023.
This was to press home its demands for the rehabilitation of roads in the industrial enclave of Tema and depots across the country including, Takoradi, Kumasi and Buipe.
According to the union, it members have been forced to take the action since several engagements with some government officials, and the National Petroleum Authority have failed to get the desired results.
The Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union later in a statement noted that the bad roads are dangerous for moving petroleum products around the country.
CBOD on concerns of Tanker Drivers
Describing the concerns of the drivers as genuine, Dr. Ofori stressed the need to resolve the issue immediately.
“These roads in the Tema and other petroleum enclave are very important to the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country and even industries and therefore it’s surprising that this issue has not been addressed”, he said.
He called on local authorities to be sensitive to the calls of citizens to avert such unrests in the future.
“We are also of the view that it is not too late for the necessary action to be taken to deal with the rehabilitation of the roads” Dr. Ofori added.
Dr. Ofori disclosed that the Tema Industrial enclave accounts for about 70% of the country’s finished Petroleum needs in the country.