OFFICERS OF the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) last Friday engaged drivers from the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) as well as others in the Ashanti Region.

Giving the rationale behind the meeting, Deputy Chief Executive for NPA, Linda Asante, said it was important that partners in the line of NPA activities are given education about operations at the state entity.

She noted that such engagements would also afford the NPA the chance to learn of the concerns of those they deal with and factor the same into its operations.

‘’Feedback is the lifeblood of every successful company and we at NPA values same and therefore we decided that apart from the sensitization of our activities to the drivers it was important to take their concerns and complaints so that we can deliver better to the satisfaction of them and all our partners’’, Madam Asante noted during an interview.

COPEC Representative:

Addressing the drivers at the meeting, Duncan Amoah, Executive Director at the Chamber Of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) said it was refreshing that the NPA under the current CEO, Alhaji Dr Mustapha Hamid was a mobile one.

He noted that the CEO finds it necessary to engage with all groups within the petroleum downstream and those who deal in distribution and marketing of fuel products so as to educate as well as pick feedback from them.

This, he noted, was important since reports could be given on the activities of those in the petroleum chain for action to be taken on it so as to ensure a safe environment and quality of service in products.

‘’Issues of licensing, quality of petroleum as well as the siting of fuel stations fall in line with the operations of NPA and it is refreshing the outfit is currently engaging those placed in the downstream business to learn from them after detailing to them their operations’’, Duncan Amoah stated.

GPRTU Chairman:

Speaking at the forum, Chairman of the GPRTU-Ashanti, Alhaji Sumaila Boakye said his outfit was happy about the opportunity to learn at first hand the operations of the NPA.

The Chairman also noted that the opportunity to share concerns and complaints with the NPA was a cherished one.

He noted that many drivers had wondered how there were differences in the prices of oil and petroleum products on the Ghanaian market.

‘’Even though some of our members got the information of the NPA interaction late they were eager to come because there are certain concerns about pricing and distribution that go on in the minds of our drivers and some of us within the executive body of GPRTU that needed such a platform for us to get them addressed’’, the chairman posited.

By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie 

Kumasi