By The looming threat of a potential fuel shortage due to the strike initiated by the National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union may be mitigated by the close of Friday, May 24. The Association of Oil Marketing Companies and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) are scheduled to convene a crucial meeting with the striking drivers today, May 23.
The ongoing nationwide sit-down strike by union members, seeking improved conditions of service, has entered its third day, raising concerns that it could leave consumers of petroleum products in a difficult situation.
Dr. Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, conveyed in a telephone conversation with Citi News that the strike will be terminated following today’s meeting. He stated that he had dispatched letters to the union, proposing a meeting which was mutually agreed upon.
“As of Tuesday, I had letters sent to the Tanker Owners Union for engagement and I had a response to meet on Thursday so it is as if we knew that this strike was going to happen.
“So, we are having a meeting with the Tanker Owners Union, and then we are going to have a meeting with the tanker drivers themselves, the National Petroleum Authority, and then the various stakeholders to address the non-payment and remuneration of salaries to the drivers.
“As a matter of fact, we hope to reach a consensus on the table and hope they [the drivers] will go back to work on Friday.”
