By: Nicholas Osei-Wusu
The National Petroleum Authority, NPA has advised motorists to show interest in the quality of the petroleum products they buy at the fuel stations aside from the prices and quantity they get.
This is because an adulterated fuel can damage their vehicle engines and also cause pollution to the natural environment, a situation that should be prevented through a concerted effort by all stakeholders.
A Deputy Chief Executive of the NPA, Madam Linda Asante, gave the advice in Kumasi at a sensitization workshop for drivers.
The NPA is on a regional outreach to create awareness about its operations to engender mutual trust and cooperation with players in the petroleum downstream sector.
The Kumasi event was the second to be held in the Ashanti regional capital for stakeholders after a previous one took media practitioners through operations of the state regulatory entity.
This programme, which was in partnership with the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, COPEC, was patronized by drivers, driver union executives among other stakeholders.
A Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NPA advised drivers and petroleum product consumers to, not only concentrate on the price and quantity of the fuel they buy at the pump, but always check the quality of the product sold to them, and make prompt report of any bad quality for action.
According to Madam Asante, adulterated fuel not just contaminates the natural environment, but could as well damage engines of vehicles.
She warned that, the NPA will promptly act on any complaint of bad quality fuel sold to the unsuspecting public with the applicable sanctions including close down of the offending station.
The Head of Petroleum Pricing at the NPA, Abass Ibrahim Tasunti, who took the participants through how prices of the various petroleum products are determined, dispelled allegations that the prices of petrol and diesel are high due to the imposition of many taxes and levies on the products, and said about 70 percent of the price component is determined by factors including the world market prices, foreign exchange rates and cost of importation.
He said the levies and taxes on the products amount to only 17 percent of the ex-pump price adding that it is not economically advisable for government to continue subsidizing the prices.
The Head of Fuel Quality at the NPA, Saeed Ubeidalah Kutia, said the Authority is now determined more than ever to ensure that the quality of fuel sold on the open market is not compromised.
The Executive Secretary of COPEC, Duncan Amoah, urged motorists to report any infractions at the fuel service stations whenever they buy fuel to the NPA for swift redress.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union, GPRTU of the TUC, Alhaji Yaw Sumaila Boakye, described the event as very laudable since it is the first of such interactions between the driver unions in the region and the regulator.
