Petrol shortage: Gov’t asked to address 'systemic issues'

Government has been asked to take necessary steps to address issues that lead to intermittent shortage of fuel products in the country.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) Senyo Hosi said the issues are systemic and it will take government to spearhead efforts to solve them.

“Why are we creating the debt? Why are the banks losing confidence in funding the sector? Has it got to do with the rising subsidy? Has it got to do with unpaid subsidies?” Mr Hosi asked on TV3’s News 360 on Monday, July 30 after assuring the motoring public that the fuel supply situation will normalize by “at worse Wednesday”.

He raised concerns that some oil-marketing companies (OMCs) are hoarding petrol products at the detriment of desperate citizens.

“You can’t do that to your own people. What kind of state are we trying to grow? We want to try to commercially milk the people. When you see people suffering, you still want to hoard. I don’t think that person deserves to be called a Ghanaian,” he fumed.

Meanwhile, government has assured that it will monitor the situation until all and sundry are comfortable.

“We intend to continue [supply],” said Minister of Energy and Petroleum Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on Monday.

“We are not relenting at all [but] basically doubling supply that normally goes into the market until we are very sure that products are in the market and people are comfortable.”

Nonetheless, Ghanaians have been advised not to fetch the commodity in gallons for onward "storage" at homes.

“Storing large quantity of them at your home may pose health and safety risks,” noted Yaro Kasambata, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).