Members of the Ghana Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union sit-down strike turned chaotic on Monday. However, they have vowed to continue with their strike unabated until their grievances are addressed.
Petroleum tanker drivers across the country on Monday embarked on a sit-down strike over non-payment of salary and what they call artificial underground shortage which is deducted from the their salaries.
The drivers also for the past months have raised concern relating to their working conditions and welfare.
According to them, failure of NPA to ensure full implementation of the Petroleum Producers Transportation Delivery Retail and Loss Control manual, which was formulated by the Energy Commission in 2004, will prevent them from working.
The petroleum tanker drivers were demonstrating in a form of a sit-down strike for a change of their conditions of service.
But their colleagues the gas tanker drivers saw no such need and as such began to work. The Disunity among the tanker drivers nearly turned the intended peaceful sit-down strike chaotic.
The police swiftly came in to calm the situation but just after some period of time, the agitations started again when the gas tanker drivers took advantage of the calm situation to start loading.
The police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd injuring some of them and arrested three of the tanker drivers Union executives.
The Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union George Nyaunu, accused the National Petroleum Authority, (NPA) for trying to break their front instead of solving their challenges.
He said they will continue to use all legal means to address their problem. He therefore asked the union members to be calm.
Story by GBC’s Benjamin Nanor
