Mobil dealers want "cash and carry" abolished

Accra, Nov. 3, GNA - A cross-section of Mobil petroleum dealers on Monday said that they preferred the three-day credit supplier's credit to the "cash and carry system".

Mobil Ghana Limited last Friday through the intervention of the Ministry of Energy suspended its Management's decision to request their retailers to pay as they were supplied with products.

The intervention led to Mobil suspending the decision to next year. Some of the dealers, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, on condition of anonymity for fear of alleged reprisals from Mobil, said the suspension though a relief was not enough and that they appreciate it very much if the status quo were upheld.

The sources said since Mobil enjoyed a 14-day credit from the Government through the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) it would be fair if this credit were also extended to Ghanaian retailers.

"We still think that the cash and carry system should be abolished until such time that Mobil would pay in cash to lift from TOR", one of the sources said.

A member of the Association of dealers also told the GNA that the membership was prepared to assist Mobil to retrieve any debt that might accrue if any dealer violated the credit agreement. The member said it was not easy getting collateral from the banks hence the plea by the membership for the continuous credit facility they enjoyed from Mobil.

The source said, even though, Mobil had agreed to help the dealers negotiate with banks for the cash and carry, it would not be an easy one.

Ms Yvette Dzeble, Human Resource and Legal Manager of Mobil told the GNA that the cash and carry decision was a policy, which the Management had decided to pursue.

She said Mobil as corporate entity ran business on its corporate policy reviews as and when they deemed it appropriate.

On the recent advertisement for new dealers, Ms Dzeble said that it was coincidental with the new policy and that it was not meant to intimidate or throw the dealers out of job or to impose the policy on the new dealers.