By Philip Antoh
A quiet haemorrhage is underway in downstream petroleum sector. Tanker drivers and their mates are abandoning fuel haulage for illegal mining not out of choice, but because galamsey pays better.
That is the unusual admission from Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA). Briefing Parliament’s Energy Committee on Wednesday, he said the sector is losing experienced crews at an alarming rate.
“Whenever tanker drivers arrive in mining areas to deliver petroleum products, they lose one mate,” Tameklo explained. The reason: mates see illegal mining as “more profitable” than riding shotgun on a fuel truck.
The result is a revolving door of untrained assistants, eroding safety and efficiency. The NPA is now scrambling to design a new remuneration framework to standardise salaries and stem the exodus. But the irony is impossible to ignore: the very fuel meant for legitimate use is feeding the galamsey economy that is poaching the industry’s own workers.
Enter the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG). On April 18, days before Tameklo’s parliamentary testimony, the group petitioned the NPA to cut off what it calls the ‘lifeblood’ of illegal mining fuel.
· Data-driven audits of fuel sales, especially at stations in mining hotspots showing volumes far above registered vehicle numbers. Reports to be made public.
· License revocation for any Oil Marketing Company (OMC) found supplying galamsey operators, plus a permanent ban on their directors from the downstream sector and referral to the Attorney-General for prosecution.
· Strict ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) enforcement for bulk diesel buyers.
· Tighter cooperation between the NPA and security forces to intercept fuel shipments destined for illegal mines.
The coalition argues that cutting fuel supply is one of the most effective levers against galamsey. But the NPA is now caught in a contradiction: its own drivers are defecting to the very illicit economy the regulator is supposed to strangle.
Insiders say the problem is structural. Low margins in petroleum haulage, coupled with delayed payments and poor working conditions, have made driving a shrinking profession. Meanwhile, galamsey operators flush with cash and willing to pay a premium for diesel offer an irresistible alternative.
Tameklo’s proposed pay framework may help, but it faces an uphill battle. Any increase in haulage costs will feed into fuel prices, a politically sensitive issue. And as long as galamsey remains more lucrative, drivers will keep trading their tankers for headlamps.
For the coalition, the message is clear: regulate harder. For the NPA, the math is messier. You cannot cut the lifeblood of galamsey when your own blood is already in its veins.