Petroleum tanker operators across the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo and Western North Regions have commenced a three day sit down strike to protest what they describe as persistent inaccuracies in the measurement and monitoring systems installed at the Kumasi Depot of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company.
The drivers contend that the meters used to determine the quantity of petroleum products loaded onto their tankers have repeatedly produced discrepancies during several verification exercises conducted by transport operators and other industry stakeholders. According to them, the inconsistencies have resulted in recurring fuel shortages for which drivers are subsequently held financially responsible.
Vice Chairman of the Association, Dominic Brenya, said a series of assessments involving transporters, the National Petroleum Authority and tanker unions had failed to establish evidence that drivers were diverting or siphoning petroleum products. Instead, he said, the exercises had exposed problems with the accuracy of the measuring equipment installed at the depot.
Mr Brenya explained that the situation had imposed considerable financial pressure on tanker operators because drivers were frequently required to absorb the cost of shortages recorded by the depot’s measurement systems, even when there was no evidence that fuel had been unlawfully removed from their vehicles.
He further questioned why discrepancies continued to emerge despite the introduction of sophisticated technologies designed to track the movement of both tanker drivers and petroleum products throughout the distribution process. In his view, the continued recording of shortages points to possible defects in the measuring equipment or inaccurate calibration at the fuel offloading point.
The drivers are therefore demanding urgent intervention from the government and relevant industry authorities to investigate the equipment, establish the source of the discrepancies and implement corrective measures that will prevent operators from continuing to suffer financial losses arising from measurements they consider unreliable.
Beyond the concerns surrounding fuel measurement, the tanker operators have also raised serious objections to what they describe as inadequate loading infrastructure at the Kumasi Depot. They claim that inefficient loading procedures frequently result in lengthy delays, leaving drivers stranded for extended periods before they can complete their assignments and return to the road.
The shortage of suitable parking facilities has added another dimension to their concerns. According to the drivers, haulage vehicles are regularly compelled to remain on the shoulders of surrounding roads because the depot does not have sufficient parking capacity to accommodate the number of tankers waiting to load.
The operators warn that the situation creates a significant public safety risk because the vehicles transport highly flammable petroleum products. They argue that leaving fuel tankers along busy roads increases the possibility of accidents and exposes motorists, pedestrians and nearby communities to unnecessary danger.
Even drivers who manage to secure access to the parking area provided by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with its condition. They say the facility is largely untarred and unsuitable for prolonged occupation, particularly for operators who may be required to remain there for several hours or overnight.
The tanker drivers are consequently calling for the construction or provision of appropriate sleeping quarters where drivers can rest safely while waiting for their vehicles to be loaded. They maintain that adequate welfare facilities are necessary given the extended periods they sometimes spend at the depot.
The association has declared that the industrial action will remain in force until meaningful steps are taken by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company, the National Petroleum Authority and the government to address the concerns surrounding fuel measurement, loading operations, parking arrangements and driver welfare.
The drivers insist that their action is intended to compel the relevant authorities to confront what they regard as longstanding operational deficiencies rather than disrupt the country’s petroleum distribution network.
Management of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company at the Kumasi Depot has so far declined to comment publicly on the allegations raised by the tanker operators.
The development nevertheless carries broader implications for the country’s petroleum supply chain. Should the industrial action persist, delays in transporting petroleum products from the depot could eventually affect deliveries to filling stations and create supply pressures in parts of the affected regions.
The immediate challenge for the authorities will therefore be to resolve the dispute while ensuring that petroleum distribution remains stable and that the measurement systems used throughout the loading and offloading process command the confidence of both transport operators and industry regulators.
