Ghana: Petroleum Tanker Drivers Suspend Strike, Give Government One Month To Fix Roads

Ghana’s National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union has suspended a two-day sit-down strike and given the government one month to demonstrate progress towards repairing roads serving key petroleum depots across the country.

The drivers resumed loading on Friday following interventions by the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) and the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC).

The union had issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to address deteriorating road conditions before beginning the strike on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

The action disrupted tanker operations at key loading points, including the Tema industrial area, as drivers protested road conditions on routes used to transport petroleum products across Ghana.

In a statement on Thursday, the union specifically cited the road from the Valco Roundabout in Tema to Kpone Junction, as well as roads within the Takoradi and Buipe depot enclaves.

The union described the roads as critical economic corridors and said their deteriorating condition posed serious safety and health risks to drivers, workers and other road users.

The union said activities facilitated by the roads generate about 300 million Ghana cedis ($X million) in tax revenue for the government each week, underscoring the economic importance of the affected routes.

Despite suspending the strike, the drivers said their demands remained unchanged and called on the government to take immediate steps to accelerate the rehabilitation and completion of the affected roads.

The union has given the government one month to demonstrate what it called “visible and measurable progress”, warning that failure to do so could trigger a return to industrial action.

“Should Government fail to demonstrate visible and measurable progress within the one-month period, the Unions will be compelled to resume industrial action, including a prolonged sit-down strike,” the statement said.

The suspension provides temporary relief for petroleum haulage operators and businesses dependent on fuel supplies, but puts pressure on the government to address the road conditions before the deadline expires.