The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in a move to sanitize the downstream petroleum sector and deal with illegal Tanker Operators, on September 12 arrested and impounded 14 fuel Tankers, each carrying about 54,000 litres of fuel for indulging in fuel illegalities.
The 14 Tankers are now under security protection at the New Tanker Park at Kpone, near Tema for thorough investigations and possible prosecution, an official source at the NPA told the CDA Consult in an interview in Accra on Thursday.
The 14 Tankers are alleged to be among fuel export diversion syndicate whose operations have been classified by industry actors as a threat to National Security.
The NPA source explained mbecause the Government of Ghana has removed all taxes on petroleum products meant for exports to the main trading land lock countries therefore the fuel export diversion syndicates mode of operating is to register and load tanker trucks for export, but in the process of transporting divert the product back into the country.
Ghana lost huge sums of money in terms of tax revenue as per official petroleum tax - Special Petroleum Tax GH¢132 million was lost to the nation; Energy Debt Recovery Levy about GH¢123 million; and the Road Fund levy about GH¢120 million last year.
The NPA Source explained that the move by the NPA in collaboration with security operatives was in accordance with “our mandate to promote fair trade practice and support commercial practices in the petroleum downstream industry which serve the public interest, achieve efficiency and cost reduction.
“NPA will continue to ensure the observation of fair equitable practices and the enforcement of existing rules and regulations to protect national interest”.
CDA Consult investigations indicates that following the outcry of scores of Oil Marketing Companies and the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs) the National Security tighten the noose around Petroleum Black Market dealers whose infiltration into the sector posed a great risk to the national economy.
Scores of OMCs managers who lauded the NPA moves has appealed to the authority to fast track the planting of tracking devices on fuel tanker trucks transporting petroleum products to the land lock countries to ensure that the Authority monitors its operations from the point of loading to the point of discharging.
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