Dr Mustapha Hamid
The quality of petroleum products sold by oil marketing companies in Ghana has improved significantly, with the level of adulteration reducing from 35 percent in 2012 to 1.59 percent in 2022.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA), regulator of the petroleum downstream industry who revealed this recently said, the authority is committed to ensuring that users of petroleum products get value for money.
Speaking to the media in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, Saeed Kutia, the Head of Quality Assurance at NPA explained that the feat had been reached due to several stringent measures instituted to that effect.
These include the revision of operating procedures in the importation, exportation, and production of fuels by Petroleum Service Providers (PSPs).
The introduction of Petroleum Product Marking Scheme (PPMS) and Bulk Road Vehicle (BRV) tracking system.
The Authority has also deployed a standby intelligence and security team that responds swiftly to consumer complaints of fuel adulteration and other dodgy conducts of service providers.
These and several others have ensured that products scarcely adulterated and meet the required specification along the supply chain.
It is therefore not surprising that even when the contaminated fuel reduced to 2.5 percent in August 2021, the Authority was able to record a further reduction to 1.59 percent a year later (2022).
Mr. Kutia noted that fuel contamination could be reduced further with the help of the public.
He, therefore, encouraged petroleum consumers to report Oil Marketing Companies/fuel stations (OMCs) that sell adulterated and substandard petroleum products promptly; preferably within 48 hours for swift action against culprits.
Reports can be made to the regulator in any of their regional offices nationwide or through phone calls (0545006111/0545006112/toll free on 080012300) or via their website – www.npa.gov.gh.
*NPA Doesn’t Regulate Petroleum Prices*
On the issue of unstable fuel prices, Abass Ibrahim Tasunti, Head of Economic Regulation at NPA said the Authority does not regulate the prices of petroleum products in the country.
Petroleum Products pricing in Ghana are done using two pricing windows in a month; between 1st and 15th and between 16th and end of the month.
He explained that the current situation is due to global factors such as geopolitics, wars, natural disasters and political unrest. These he said have led to volatility in prices in every window since factors affect global market prices and the Ghana Cedi/Dollar exchange rate.
Mr. Tasunti expatiated that although the NPA does not regulate fuel prices, it ensures that Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) and OMCs set prices based on the prescribed petroleum pricing formula and also determines the price benchmarks BDCs must use in setting the ex-refinery price of each petroleum product.
In summary, the NPA as a regulator ensures that consumers and suppliers get value for money by adhering to the approved quality and pricing formula for petroleum products in the country.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)