January 26, 2024
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has suspended the Sentuo Oil Refinery’s approval to commercialise some finished petroleum products. The action is directed at some petroleum products, especially gasoline or petrol, with the assertion that they do not fulfil industry criteria.
According to the NPA, the action was taken last week after its investigations revealed that the Sentuo Oil Refinery sold petrol at slightly higher prices than what was originally permitted.
The NPA’s reaction follows assertions by two energy think tanks, the Institute of Energy Security (IES) and the Ghana Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) that the Authority permitted Sentuo Oil Refinery to sell sub-standard fuel to some Oil Marketing Companies, resulting in serious engine damage to vehicles.
However, the NPA’s Head of Quality Control, Ubeidalah Saeed, dismissed these claims and clarified that the Authority’s action was on the issue of prices and not product quality.
In an earlier development, the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) had requested the NPA to address concerns about the quality of petroleum products supplied by the Sentuo Oil Refinery due to some concerns expressed by its members about the quality and viscosity of various products from the oil refinery.
The AOMC subsequently called for the Authority to conduct an investigation into the matter and take action.
It said that there is a need to investigate the complaints received and take appropriate action against the refinery, if necessary, to preserve the integrity of the petroleum supply chain.
“Collaborate with oil marketing companies to identify specific areas of concerns and develop strategies to mitigate the impact of the reported issues.
“Publicly communicate the findings of the investigation and any actions taken to address the situation to enhance transparency and restore confidence in the industry”, the association appealed to the regulator.
Source: Energy Ghana