We would not have called off strike if NAPO had engaged us - Tanker Drivers

The Tanker Drivers Association of Ghana has taken a swipe at Energy Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, describing him as arrogant and petty.

Chairman of the Association Clement Ampadu says the Minister disrespected them when he denied that he did not know of their existence when they declared their strike.

He stated that they went to the negotiation table to discuss issues affecting their work but unfortunately the Energy Minister did not attend.

He said ”it was good the Minister did not attend the meeting. If he had attended the meeting,, it would not have been good for him. We would have asked him to explain to us what he meant by not knowing about us.”

He told Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker drivers and allied bodies have called off their industrial action after meeting with the CEO of the NPA, Dr. Abdul Mustapha Hamid.

He explained that the unions indicated their resolve to take immediate steps to resolve the operational challenges with the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).

However, he was not happy with how the Minister behaved, adding that ”the CEO of the NPA was candid with us, he assured us that they would address our concerns. We agreed to sign an agreement, but that is only for one month. After one month, we will embark on another strike if the concerns are unresolved.

”If NAPO had attended the meeting, it would have been a different matter. He is arrogant and does not deserve our time. He went on the radio saying that he did not know us. We also do not know him. We would not have given him an audience that was why he asked Mustapha Hamid to meet with us.”

”We did not want to mount pressure on the NPA CEO. We respected him for how he received us, and for that reason, we have agreed to call off the strike, but he should understand that after a month, we will embark on another striker that is more massive than what we did.”