The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is urging its Nigerian counterpart to reduce the sulphur content in its diesel fuel to about 50parts per million (ppm).
Nigeria is currently doing 3,000ppm of sulphur content, which is considered to be toxic fuel.
Mr. Tampuli who was speaking in Nigeria, Lagos during the Oil Trading and Logistics Downstream Expo said the move will help West African since the two countries control about 70 percent of fuel consumption in region.
“If we look at a snapshot of current sulphur content across some African countries show that Egypt has the worse with 10,000ppm. Big brother Nigeria has 3000ppm, Tunisia, 3000ppm, Senegal 5000ppm, so Ghana is in good company with South Africa with the East Africa sub-region with 50ppm”.
Mr. Tampuli told participants that Ghana has used stringent measures enforce the regulations and is working to also curb fuel smuggling in the country.
He said the NPA in collaboration with National Security had recently confiscated 15 trucks which were found to be engaging in the said illegal fuel.
“By virtue of NPA’s Act (Act 691), we are not able to use our law to sue them. So we are partnering with Custom Excise and Preventive Service in Ghana to use their law to confiscate all these 15 trucks and we are about to put them on auction,” he said.
“When we are done we will revoke the licenses of all these exporters and we will ban all their Directors from actively participating in the downstream petroleum industry. That is the way we think will bring sanity to the industry in Ghana” he stated.
Also on the panel at the forum were, CEO of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors Mr. Senyo Hosi and Mr. Kweku Agyemang Duah, CEO of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies.
thebftonline.com l Ghana
