A fuel shortage in the Ashanti Region is imminent as tanker drivers have declared an indefinite sit-down strike over severe parking shortages and flawed new flow meters, which they claim are leading to wrongful arrests and financial penalties.
The industrial action, declared on Monday, 17 August 2026, aims to force immediate intervention from management and national authorities to rectify technical glitches in newly installed discharge meters and address hazardous roadside parking conditions.
Dominic Brenya, Regional Branch Vice Chairman of the Tanker Drivers Association, told Kumasi FM’s Elisha Adarkwah that the strike is set to last for an initial three-day period, after which drivers will assess whether to extend the action based on management’s response.
”We have a whole lot of problems confronting us, and we’ve told management to fix them, but it’s been a while without hearing back,” Mr Brenya stated, adding that “We are giving ourselves three days, and if the authorities don’t listen to our plight, we will continue with the strike.”
A primary trigger for the strike is the recent deployment of discharge meters, which drivers allege consistently produce inaccurate measurements, resulting in severe product shortages during offloading.
”Sometimes the meter gives an under-delivery, and when that happens, they bill the driver,” Mr Brenya explained, highlighting that “Drivers are experiencing shortages of 400 to 500 litres, losses that are not their fault, and this leads to truck owners involving the police, drivers getting arrested, and some even being tracked down and detained.”
The association claims the issue stems from proper calibration and engineering technicalities, noting that the individual responsible for procuring the meters has since been sanctioned.
Mr Brenya called on meter manufacturers and international engineers to train local technicians to properly calibrate the system to ensure accurate deliveries.
In addition to the metering disputes, the association highlighted critical safety hazards surrounding the lack of designated parking facilities for heavy-duty tankers.
Drivers are currently forced to park along public roadsides, creating severe traffic obstructions and a heightened risk of fatal accidents.
Mr Brenya recalled a recent incident in which a timber truck collided with a parked tanker, resulting in a fuel spill that posed a major fire hazard to surrounding road users.
While operations remain halted in Kumasi, union leaders based in Tema have travelled to Accra to hold emergency negotiations with the management of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) to seek an amicable resolution.
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