Mr Henry Akwaboah, Engen Ghana Managing Director explained in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that, the Engen customised downstream petroleum management mechanism hinged on safety, satisfaction, quality products, competitive prices and environmental friendly.

He said the frontline staff especially filling station attendants and managers would undertake periodic upgrading of skills to ensure strict adherence to these standards and procedures. “We are elevating standards for setting-up and managing a filling station in the country to the next level, Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) in Ghana must offer customer privilege service. Customers deserve clean fuel and that’s what we will continue to offer.

“In our field, the downstream petroleum sector mistakes come with higher price – loss of life and investment capital so we must at all cost avoid operational blunder, put in place mechanisms and systems to protect anyone who enters our filling stations at any point in time,” Mr Akwaboah stated.

He said Engen has invested heavily in health, safety and environment and supply of quality petroleum products.  The Engen MD explained that in line with shareholders directives, the company was embarking on massive retail network expansion project and penetration into other relatively active environments – marine and the aviation sectors.

On the deregulation of petroleum products in 2015, Mr Akwaboah noted that even though laudable with its stiff competition otherwise unknown in the sector, some OMCs are losing out; “it is very difficult to keep up with competitive price margins every two weeks”.

He noted however that with innovation and competent management team “one is able to keep up and set standards for the benefit of the customer as to us customer care is core to our operations”.Mr Akwaboah expressed concern about the number of OMCs stressing that: “there are too many filling stations mostly concentrated in some strategic locations. OMCs are expanding more than the expansion of the economy.

“The operative directives for survival are mergers and take-overs to strengthen OMCs market shares”.     On the Association of Oil Marketing Companies safety week celebration, Mr Akwaboah noted that it was the responsibility of all stakeholders, National Petroleum Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, National Fire Service and others to work together with OMCs to ensure adherence of safety rules.

Engen Ghana is an affiliate of Engen Petroleum Limited, South Africa and had been operating in Ghana since 1998 in the downstream petroleum sector with focus on the retiling of refined products and lubricants through forecourts dotted across the country. Engen Ghana is oriented towards providing a one stop shop for motorists to access services and products conveniently at all its service stations.