By Emmanuel Gamson
Sekondi (W/R), May 15, GNA – Mr Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has warned against illegal fuel bunkering activities, describing the practice as a serious threat to product quality regulation in the country.
According to him, illegal fuel bunkering activities gave rise to adulterated fuel and other petroleum products on the market posing safety risks to consumers.
He gave the warning when he visited the Western Naval Command at Sekondi to oversee the burning of eight unregistered boats that had been seized in connection with fuel bunkering operations at New Takoradi and Poasi landing beaches.
Mr Tameklo said when petroleum products were moved illegally to the market, it became difficult for the Authority to verify and regulate their quality, exposing consumers to potential health and safety risks.
He said: “The Authority runs a scheme that allows us to mark petroleum products that come into the country to ensure that they meet a certain quality standards, even before the product is allowed to be discharged to remove the incidence of adulteration.”
“So, when the concentration falls, it means that something has been added to increase the purpose of selling, and that can have a negative impact on users, particularly consumers.”
The NPA CEO stated that the Authority was committed to ensuring that only quality petroleum products reached the market for public consumption, adding that every effort was being made to prevent adulterated products from entering the supply chain.
Mr Tameklo said aside adulterated fuel getting to the market, illegal fuel bunkering activities also resulted in loss of tax revenue to the state.
He said: “Even as we want to be sure of the quality, there is also the incidence of tax losses because on every on every litre, there is an amount of tax that is paid to the state so when they engage in this activity, the economic loss is huge.
“So, we are burning these boats that are used for the purposes of this, to send a clear message to those involved in the illegal activities that this cannot continue and we will not relent on our efforts to stop this activity.”
Mr Tameklo cautioned individuals engaged in fuel bunkering to cease their operations, adding the destruction of the seized boats was a clear demonstration of the Authority’s resolve to clamp down on the illegal trade.
“If you want to do petroleum activity, come to the Authority and we will give you appropriate licenses, and you can engage in that enterprise, but where you want to take the law into your hands, we will not encourage any form of impunity,” the NPA CEO stated.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Emmanuel Gamson