General News
BOST Makes Over GH¢10 Million From Faulty Flow Meter Charges, Tanker Drivers Claim
Tanker drivers in Kumasi have accused the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) of making more than GH¢10 million from charges arising from alleged inaccurate readings by an automated flow-meter system at its Terminal 3 depot.
The allegation forms part of a broader dispute that has led tanker drivers in Kumasi to begin a three-day sit-down strike over persistent product shortages recorded during the discharge of petroleum products.
According to a statement issued by the affected stakeholders, the shortage problem has existed since 2022 and has created serious financial and operational difficulties for tanker owners and drivers.
The stakeholders insist that the reported shortages are not the result of theft or actual loss of petroleum products but are allegedly caused by inaccuracies in the automated flow-meter system used at the BOST depot.
They claim the machine records shortages of between 200 and 400 litres per tanker discharge, with tanker owners subsequently being billed for the differences.
The stakeholders allege that the current BOST management is aware of the problem but continues to pass the cost of the alleged artificial shortages on to tanker owners.
They claim that the resulting deductions have generated more than GH¢10 million for BOST.
The allegation has not been independently verified, and BOST has not, in the information provided, publicly confirmed the claimed amount or the basis of the charges.
The stakeholders say the problem began after a previous BOST management replaced the traditional manual T-bar measurement system with an automated flow meter.
They allege that the automated technology has consistently produced inaccurate readings and is therefore unsuitable for accurately measuring petroleum products discharged into storage facilities.
According to them, previous management acknowledged the alleged inaccuracies and decided not to transfer the cost of the discrepancies to tanker owners.
They contend that the current policy represents a departure from that approach.
Tanker owners face financial losses
The stakeholders argue that tanker owners are being forced to absorb losses arising from the alleged meter inaccuracies.
They say the deductions are particularly burdensome because owners already incur high costs to secure petroleum-product loads.
They allege that tanker owners can pay as much as GH¢10,000 to secure BOST loads from the Accra Plane Depot before transporting the products to Kumasi.
When deductions are subsequently made at the Kumasi depot because of shortages recorded by the meter, the owners’ earnings are allegedly reduced further.
Drivers complain about unpaid salaries
The financial pressure on tanker owners is also said to be affecting drivers.
The stakeholders claim that some owners are struggling to pay drivers’ salaries because of the accumulated deductions.
They say the situation has caused psychological distress among some drivers.
One driver has reportedly argued that the stress associated with unpaid salaries could be contributing to recent tanker accidents on Ghanaian roads.
That claim has not been independently established, and the causes of specific road crashes would require investigation by the appropriate authorities.
Strike threatens fuel distribution
The dispute has now resulted in a three-day sit-down strike by tanker drivers in Kumasi.
The drivers say some operators are also refusing to transport petroleum products to the depot because of the recurring shortage deductions.
They warn that if the situation persists, fuel distribution in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region could be severely affected.
A prolonged disruption could put pressure on the downstream petroleum supply chain because tanker operators are responsible for transporting fuel from storage facilities to various destinations and filling stations.
Parking problems add to grievances
The drivers are also demanding improved parking arrangements at the Kumasi depot.
They say inadequate parking space forces tanker operators to park their vehicles along roadsides while waiting to load or discharge petroleum products.
According to the drivers, the situation creates safety risks and inconvenience for other road users, particularly on busy routes.
They are therefore calling for a suitable, secure and designated parking facility for tanker operators.
The stakeholders say the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has intervened several times in an attempt to resolve the shortage dispute.
However, they allege that the shortages continue to recur after NPA officials leave the depot.
They are consequently calling for a permanent technical solution rather than temporary interventions.
The statement further alleges that BOST has asked two senior staff members, identified as Josiah and Sam Yalley, to step aside.
However, the stakeholders say the action has failed to resolve the alleged underlying technical problem, as shortage incidents reportedly continue.
They are therefore demanding an investigation into the flow-meter system, its calibration and the procedures used to determine shortages.
Calls for government intervention
The stakeholders are calling on the government to intervene urgently and have proposed three key measures.
They want authorities to:
Immediately replace or recalibrate the disputed flow meters.
Order an independent audit of all shortage billings dating back to 2022
Compel BOST to return to the previous policy of not passing alleged artificial shortage costs on to tanker owners.
The stakeholders warn that failure to resolve the dispute could lead to a wider breakdown of fuel logistics in the Ashanti Region.
The tanker drivers say they are ready to return to work once concrete measures are taken to address the metering concerns, review the disputed deductions and provide adequate parking facilities.
For now, the three-day sit-down strike remains in force as the drivers push for what they describe as a fair and lasting resolution.