Bunso (E/R), March 19, GNA - The General Secretary of the General Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), Mr Emmanuel Mensah, has called on the government to ensure that the deregulation of the petroleum sector was conducted by the National Petroleum Tender Board to promote the interest of consumers and the country. He commended the government on its decision to ensure that the Tema Oil Refinery operate on full cost recovery.

Mr Mensah urged the Board to vigorously embark on deep-sea oil exploration to enable the country to join the club of oil producers in the West African sub-region.

He was addressing the opening ceremony of the 17th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Union at the Bunso Cocoa College on Thursday.

The conference was under the theme: "The road transport, aviation, petroleum and chemical industries, the key to Ghana's growth and development."

On the road transport, Mr Mensah commended the government for providing buses to support the sector and called on the authorities to improve the working conditions of the staff of the Metro Mass Transit Company.

Mr Mensah also commended the government for the mass cocoa spraying exercise and urged farmers to intensify efforts to increase production of the crop.

The Principal of the College, Mr Alfred C. Nortey urged the union to back its request for improved working conditions with high productivity. He urged the leadership of the Union at the various workplaces to work in harmony with management to ensure industrial peace.