NPA solicits support of security agencies to end fuel smuggling

Mustapha Hamid, the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has solicited the support of the Ghana Police Service and other sister security agencies to help end smuggling in the downstream petroleum industry.

He said fuel smuggling in and out of the country, including export dumping were some of the illegalities in the petroleum industry.

He said even though officials of the NPA were responsible for sanctioning Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) that violated the law, the support of the security agencies was critical to achieve its mandate.

Speaking to Security personnel in Bolgatanga during a one day working visit to the Upper East Region, Dr Mustapha Hamid said in every region, the Authority had Quality Assurance Officers who inspected petroleum products to ensure that the products met the required standards.

“When they do not meet these standards, they have to be sanctioned, their stations have to be locked up. When the sanctions are applied, we want to make sure that we have the full backing of security agencies to ensure that stations that are locked do not reopen and operate illegally."

“Sometimes our officers are attacked by unhappy Filling Station owners who do not want their Stations locked up. So everywhere we go, we try to get the collaboration and support of the Police for our officers to be able to do their work,” Dr Mustapha Hamid said.

The Chief Executive said neighbouring countries took their fuel from Ghana’s Sea Port and indicated that there were protocols to ensure that whatever they lifted got to the designated points.

“Sometimes the product doesn’t really get there because people will turn around and dump them in Ghana, which has consequences for taxation and so on, because fuel meant for export is not taxed, and so people would dump them in Ghana in order to make abnormal or illegal profits,” he stated.

The collaboration of the Ghana Police Service he emphasised was necessary, adding that Custom and Immigration Officers were equally important agencies that help to ensure the correct taxes were paid and the products transported out of Ghana.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Dr Sayibu Pabi Gariba, the Regional Police Commander, said the Command and other security agencies were in control of the security situation in the Region, as residents went about their daily activities peacefully.

He said transporters of commodities including petroleum products were protected as they transported their products through the Region, “We have structured our operations in such a way that Filling Stations and your strategic stocks are safe within the Region so that the Authority can work.

“The Ghana Police Service is here to serve, and we have very good collaboration with your outfit. I can assure you that the NPA has no difficulty as far as this Region is concerned. If there is, then it hasn’t come to our knowledge, and if any comes to our knowledge, we will counter it immediately,” DCOP Dr Gariba told the Chief Executive and his officials.

He appealed to the NPA to support the command with extra fuel, stressing that even without the support of the NPA , the Command would still execute its mandate to the fullest.

While in the Region, the NPA Officials first visited the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) in Bolgatanga, interacted with leadership of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the Regional Police Command and Immigration and Custom Officers at the Paga border in the Kassena-Nankana West District.