A new report from the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE) has uncovered significant wage disparities among fuel attendants across different types of filling stations in Ghana.
The study indicates that foreign-owned filling stations, particularly those operated by dealer-owned companies, consistently offer lower salaries than locally-owned stations.
Fuel attendants at dealer-owned filling stations earn between GHC600 and GHC1,200 per month, while their counterparts at locally owned stations receive salaries ranging from GHC1,250 to GHC2,000.
This wage gap is particularly alarming given Ghana’s recent growth in the downstream petroleum sector.
The report also highlights several welfare issues affecting both tanker drivers and fuel attendants, including a lack of medical benefits, inadequate safety measures, and unpaid Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions.
CEMSE has called on regulators to address these disparities and improve working conditions within the sector. The report recommends that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) enforce the 2017 emolument framework established for tanker drivers, ensuring it is adjusted for inflation and adhered to by all stakeholders.
Furthermore, the study urges the NPA to develop a comprehensive compensation framework for fuel attendants and their respective oil marketing companies (OMCs) to ensure fair wages across the industry. This initiative aims to reduce the under-delivery of petroleum products at fuel stations.
Additionally, the report suggests establishing a credit institution to provide financial support for workers and implementing a medical compliance framework to enhance their welfare.
CEMSE emphasizes the need for the NPA and other stakeholders to take these recommendations seriously, as improving the conditions for tanker drivers and fuel attendants will contribute to the country’s overall economic growth.
