Fuel Tanker Drivers Launch Three-Day Sit-Down Strike Over BOST Conditions

Members of the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union have begun a three-day sit-down strike to protest conditions at the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Kumasi Depot.

The industrial action, which started on Monday, August 17, 2026, involves drivers from the Ashanti, Bono, Ahafo, and Western North regions. They have suspended the distribution of petroleum products.

Drivers cite two main grievances. First, they say measuring meters at the depot produce inaccurate readings that record fuel shortages. 

According to Vice Chairman Dominic Brenya, internal tests conducted with transporters, the National Petroleum Authority, and the union showed no evidence of siphoning, yet the meters consistently register shortfalls that drivers must absorb financially. They believe the equipment is faulty or wrongly calibrated.

Second, the union complains about inadequate and deteriorating parking facilities near the depot. Many drivers are forced to park haulage trucks carrying flammable products on road shoulders, creating safety risks for other road users. 

The existing yard is described as untarred, unfit for purpose, and particularly hazardous during rainfall. Drivers also report long delays caused by inefficiencies in the loading systems and a lack of proper resting or sleeping spaces while waiting to load.

Union leaders say repeated engagements with BOST officials have failed to resolve the issues. They have vowed to continue the strike until their concerns are addressed by BOST, the National Petroleum Authority, and the government.

BOST management in Kumasi declined to comment. Industry observers have raised concerns that a prolonged disruption could lead to shortfalls in fuel supplies at filling stations across affected regions.