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NPA impounds 181,000 litres of crude oil, diesel in Western Region

  • SOURCE: Reporting Oil and Gas | qwesa2big
    • POSTED ON: June 7, 2023
    • CATEGORY:

    The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has seized 181,000
    litres of fuel from smugglers in the Western Region.

    The fuel, which includes 73,000 litres of crude oil and
    108,000 litres of diesel, was seized in separate operations by the Navy and
    Marine Police between January and April 2023.

    The NPA’s Western Regional Manager, Mrs Sandra Aidoo, made
    the announcement at a media engagement in Takoradi on Thursday. She said the
    seizures were a major success in the fight against fuel smuggling in the
    region.

    “We initially confiscated 108,000 litres of diesel on the
    high seas in January. The smugglers were arrested and are currently standing
    trial at the law court. The other was in April when 73,000 litres of crude oil
    was confiscated,” she said.

    Mrs Aidoo made mentioned that the suspected smugglers of the
    diesel were being prosecuted in court and indicated that the NPA would
    determine what happens to the product after the final determination of the
    case.

    “For the crude oil, the smugglers bolted, so we have
    transported the product to Accra, and the public will know what happens to it,”
    she added
    .

    Mrs Aidoo said that the smuggled fuel was often of poor
    quality, and that some filling station owners were buying it at a lower price
    than the regulated price. This was affecting the quality of fuel available to
    consumers, as some filling stations were selling the smuggled fuel at the
    regulated price.

    “These cases are very rampant in the Western Region, and
    it is affecting our operations. These products are not taxed, and the smugglers
    sell them directly to the stations. The quality of such products cannot be
    guaranteed as well, so we should not allow them into the market,” she said.

    The Communications Department organized the media engagement
    to bring attention to the activities of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA)
    in the petroleum downstream industry and also to address industry-related
    inquiries from the media.

    During the event, Ms. Ali-Musah explained that the Executive
    Instrument (EI) 378, acquired by the NPA in 2020, aimed to facilitate the
    successful prosecution of cases in the petroleum downstream industry and combat
    criminal activities in the sector.

    She emphasized that engaging in any activity within the
    downstream petroleum industry without a certified NPA license, manipulating the
    prescribed petroleum pricing formula, tampering with Bulk Road Vehicle (BRV)
    tracking and volume monitoring, providing false statements or withholding
    crucial information, obstructing or interfering with investigations, and
    selling unmarked fuel would be subject to prosecution.

    Mr. Dominic Aboagye, the Head of Planning at NPA, provided
    additional insights, revealing that 80% of the country’s fuel consumption
    relied on imports, while the remaining 20% was locally produced. Both the
    government and private sector were actively working to enhance local fuel
    production, including the construction of a refinery by a private entity, he
    added.

    Mr. Kwami Sefa Kayi, a member of the NPA’s Governing Board
    and Chairman of the Consumer Services sub-committee, commended the NPA for
    their efforts in raising awareness and emphasized that the media engagement
    aimed to provide journalists with comprehensive knowledge about NPA’s
    operations, which could then be effectively communicated to the public

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