The Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union will today embark on a sit-down strike.

According to the union, government’s refusal to re-open some gas stations that were closed after the 2017 gas explosion at the Atomic Junction in Accra has affected its members.

The Union’s Chairman, George Nyaunu in an interview with JoyNews said the ban on the construction of new LPG outlets has affected their working conditions.

Among other things, Mr Nyaunu said some unresolved welfare issues are part of their reasons for the strike.

“Some LPG filling stations which have been banned from 2017 due to the Atomic Junction incident.

“If one driver has mistakenly tampered with the fill, why should you ban the whole company? So if the transporter has about 50 to 100 trucks and you ban the whole company for one mistake,” he noted.

On Sunday, the Union issued a statement highlighting the poor working conditions its members have been subjected to.

“Also, where salaries are being paid, the monies being paid are meagre and incommensurate with the workload of the ordinary Tanker Driver. We have complained and taken industrial actions on many occasions in the search for redress. Unfortunately, on every occasion, we are given assurances and promises that our concerns will be addressed,” they pointed out.

The assurances and promises, they said, are always either forgotten or ignored as soon as they call off their action.

With the introduction of seals and tracking devices on petroleum tankers, the tanker drivers said they are suffering from some unfair treatment by the authorities.

These unfair treatments come in the form of wrong accusations of tampering with seals and punishing a whole group of drivers for the alleged offense of one Tanker Driver. This is most unfair!” it described.

Also, the tanker drivers said the tracking system is being used to punish drivers and transporters for even a mandatory Health and Safety requirement as to stop and rest after every four hours of driving.  

“Every stop during transportation is viewed and characterized as diversion, to be followed by punitive sanctions. We, therefore, demand that this unjust and unfair treatment cease immediately," it added.