A Deputy Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Ms Linda Asante, has called on motorists to buy quality petroleum products at the fuel filling stations.
She said this will ensure that they do not use adulterated fuel, which could damage their vehicles and contribute to air pollution.
MsAsante gave the advice in Kumasi at a sensitisation workshop for drivers of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU).
The NPA’s regional outreach was 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.
It was organisedin partnership with the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers(COPEC), and was attended by drivers, and driver union executives, among other stakeholders.
Ms Asante asked 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.
She cautioned that the NPA would promptly act on any complaint of bad quality fuel sold to the unsuspecting public with the applicable sanctions including closing down of the offending station.
Head of Petroleum Pricing at the NPA, Abass Ibrahim Tasunti, took the participants through how prices of petroleum products were determined.
He dispelled allegations that the prices of petrol and diesel were high due to the imposition of many taxes and levies on the products.
MrTasuntisaid about 70 percent of the price component was 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 subsidising the prices.”
Head of Fuel Quality at the NPA, Saeed UbeidalahKutia, said the Authority was now determined more than ever to ensure that the quality of fuel sold on the open market was not compromised.
Executive Secretary of COPEC, Duncan Amoah, urged motorists to report any infractions at the fuel service stations whenever they bought fuel, to the NPA for swift redress.
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the GPRTU of the Trades Union Congress, Alhaji Yaw SumailaBoakye, said the event was laudable.
He noted that many drivers had wondered how there were differences in the prices of oil and petroleum products on the Ghanaian market.
“Even though some of our members got the information of the NPA interaction late, they were eager to come because there are certain concerns about pricing and distribution that go on in the minds of our drivers and some of us within the executive body of GPRTU that needed such a platform for us to get them addressed,”AlhajiBoakye said.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
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