The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has raised concern over an emerging trend where tanker drivers and their assistants are abandoning the petroleum haulage sector for illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey.
According to the Authority, the development is largely driven by low remuneration within the sector, which is leading to the gradual loss of experienced personnel in petroleum transportation.
The issue was highlighted during a meeting with Parliament’s Energy Committee in Accra on Wednesday, April 22, where the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, outlined the growing challenge affecting the downstream petroleum industry.
He explained that many tanker drivers are finding it difficult to retain their mates, especially when they travel to mining communities to discharge petroleum products. In some cases, assistants reportedly choose to remain in these areas to engage in illegal mining, which offers quicker and more attractive financial rewards.
Mr. Tameklo noted that the situation is beginning to affect operations in the sector, as experienced drivers and their assistants continue to leave for more lucrative opportunities elsewhere.
To address the challenge, he said the NPA is working on introducing a tanker drivers’ remuneration framework aimed at standardising salaries and improving conditions of service.
According to him, the initiative is expected to make the profession more attractive, reduce attrition, and ensure stability in the transportation of petroleum products nationwide.
“Now, what we have realised is that there’s a high attrition rate of the experienced tanker drivers and mates. Anytime the tanker drivers come, they come with different mates, and the reason we found out was that when they go to the mining communities to discharge petroleum products to the mine, he loses one mate because, according to the mates, ‘oyam ahwiaa naa’ is more profitable than being a driver’s mate,” he said.
“So the most experienced drivers, they are losing it from the downstream to other areas. So one of the things we are trying to do to resolve that problem is that we are coming up with a tanker drivers’ remuneration framework, where we would ensure standardised payment by way of salary to the tanker drivers,” he added.
The NPA believes the proposed reforms will help stabilise the workforce and enhance the safe and efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.