Deputy Energy Minister, John Jinapor, has engaged in discussions regarding the loading and unloading of petroleum products by the Chinese company Sentuo Oil Refinery. He questioned, "Why would a Chinese company bring in 300 tankers to this country?" He emphasized the importance of encouraging foreign participation but noted that it must not negatively impact local interests.

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Jinapor added, “In as much as you want to do business in Ghana don’t kill our local businesses.”The Tanker Drivers Union has expressed concerns about the impact of Chinese refinery Sentuo Oil continuing to unload fuel locally. A union member stated that if this practice persists, they will cease transporting fuel throughout the country.

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He emphasized that Ghanaian laws dictate that the transportation of petroleum products should exclusively be handled by Ghanaian companies, and foreign firms like the Chinese one should not be allowed to unload petroleum products.The member added that boycotting their business is a last resort if no action is taken, as it would inevitably result in fuel shortages in the country.

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He highlighted the historical role of Ghanaian tanker drivers in distribution and questioned why the refinery sought to distribute with its own tankers when other entities like Shell and BP relied on them for transportation, even painting their tankers with the respective companies' emblems. He emphasized the need to protect their business, particularly considering the financial commitments many drivers have in the form of

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loans.

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