No immediate increase in petroleum prices - Kan-Dapaah

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy said there were no immediate plans to increase the price of petroleum products.

He said with the current ex-pump prices the refinery was able to recover full cost but that there was no tax accruing to government because the cost was fixed at zero.

Mr Kan-Dapaah, who was answering questions in Parliament, said there would be the need for the House to revisit the issue of government selling fuel tax- free.

He said he would make the formula for petroleum product pricing public on Tuesday, July 24, adding that the ministry had already explained how the ex-refinery pricing formula would be adjusted automatically based on the principle of full cost recovery to Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy.

He said the policy "is nothing new. It was beautifully developed by the NDC".

Mr Kan-Dapaah said making the formula public would not have any effect on fuel prices.

He answered questions on when electricity would be supplied under the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP) to some communities in the Mion and the Amenfi West constituencies in the Northern and Western Regions, respectively.

Mr Abraham Kofi Asante, NDC-Amenfi West, wanted to know when the electrification project for Samreboi and its surrounding towns would begin and what steps the Ministry of Energy was taking to make kerosene available for rural communities.

Mr Ebenezer M. Adams, NDC-Mion, asked the Minister when the SHEP programme at Sambu would be completed and when that of Sang, Zakpalsi, Sakpa, Tijo, Nakpachei, Malezeri and Sunson all in the Mion constituency would begin.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said the ministry would use the Kerosene Distribution Fund to support the supply of the commodity to rural communities.

He explained that the distributors were not willing to enter into the trade because of its meagre profit margin.

Kan-Dapaah said about 200 fabricated surface tanks and measuring-cans would be distributed to district assemblies to help investors to supply the commodity to most distressed areas.

The Ministry was working out incentive package to attract investors to go into the kerosene trade adding that Tema Oil Refinery TOR) has been directed to ensure reliable supply of kerosene to Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) depots for distribution to retailers in the rural communities.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Samreboi electricity project formed part of the programme for 110 communities in 11 districts in the Western Region at a cost of 60.73 billion cedis being funded with a grant Aid Project financed by the European Development Community (EDC).

He said actual constructional work would begin at the end of this year and it was expected that it would be completed by the middle of 2004.

The supply to Mion constituency under the SHEP project began in October last year and was expected to be completed by 2002 adding that materials for projects under SHEP Phase III were carted from Tema to all areas under the project about two weeks ago.

Mr Kan-Dapaah observed that the SHEP project was being delayed because some of the beneficiary communities were not able to provide the required number of poles