Joseph Kwaku Horgle, Chief Executive of JK Horgle, a bulk peddling transporter in the Ghanaian petroleum sector, is appealing to fellow transporters in the petroleum sector in West Africa to prioritize the training of tanker drivers in their operations, because of their role in transporting and discharging petroleum products to clients in their respective countries.

Mr. Horgle, who was awarded the Merit-Award at this year’s Oil Trading and Logistics (African Downstream), said it is not enough for transporting owners to service their trucks at regular intervals and not do same for their drivers, since the two are interconnected.

“ A well-trained driver is always an asset and considering the nature of our business, if the driver is not properly trained and equipped with the necessary skills to drive such a truck, he will be a threat to people and the business.”

Mr. Horgle, whose business operation spans more than three decades, is one of the leading operators in Ghana’s petroleum downstream sector, and has provided and continue to provide services for multinational petroleum companies operating in the country.

The company currently transports LPG, bitumen, bulk lube, diesel, fuel lube, jet fuel and lot more.

Speaking to journalists after receiving his award, Mr. Horgle, whose vision is to become the first class petroleum haulage company in the sub-region, said the award is dedicated to the staff, whose tireless efforts continue to drive the company in the right direction. He said their objective is to continue innovating in different directions while stepping up discipline on the safety side of the business.

“This business thrives on people and when you have a staff that is well committed and prepared to work, yours is to provide them with the required training especially in the safety area, and the remaining will fall into place.”

He also appealed to his fellow transporters in the sub-region to ensure safety standards are adhered to across the value chain because safety protocols breed confidence in the petroleum industry.

The Oil Trading and Logistics Conference, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is a Pan-African imitative devoted to the promotion of business, policy and stakeholder engagements in the downstream petroleum sector. It is a platform strategically positioned to drive government and private partnerships, and investments.

Other award recipients include Frimps Oil and another Ghanaian company. The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) was also recognized for driving championing efforts to improve the downstream sector.