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Energy think tank Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has indicated that the sale of contaminated fuel by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) could have been avoided.
BOST has been accused of selling contaminated fuel to consumers, a situation that has attracted criticism from ACEP and other groups such as the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Ghana (COPEC-GH).
According to a press release issued by BOST, the off-spec product went through an in-house technical assessment and laboratory test by the Tema Oil Refinery prior to the sale.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Ghana (COPEC-GH) had accused the Managing Director of BOST of allowing his “greed” to make him act “recklessly” by allowing the contaminated fuel to be sold onto the market.
According to COPEC-GH, about five million litres of the contaminated fuel have flooded the market and are being sold at the pumps.
But the BOST statement released on Tuesday June 27 said: “Yes! Within the legal right of the organisation, a volume of off-spec product to the tune of five million litres has been sold to Movenpiina. It is also important to note that it rests on the decision of management as to who to do business with. And in this case, the financial ability, competence, space and the company’s [buyer] commitment not to put the product back unto the market should be duly ascertained.
“To this end, BOST deploys the use of only Bulk Road Vehicles (BRV) that have tracking devices installed and have duly met the requirements of NPA to haul products, thus rendering BOST extremely responsible. The transmission department at BOST duly inspected the premises of the off-taker (ZUPOIL LTD) and was convinced that their storage facility could accommodate the volume of product.
“The product was declared off-spec after going through an in-house technical assessment and a laboratory test by the Tema Oil Refinery, thus cannot be deemed as a scandalous transaction.”
