Petrol shortage to be normalised

The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has assured the public that the shortage of petroleum products in the system would be normalised before the end of the week.

It also indicated that there is sufficient stock of fuel to meet the current level of demand and urged motorists not to resort to panic buying.

Dr Yaw Akoto, Chief Executive of the TOR gave the assurance yesterday in an interview in reaction to reports of shortage of petroleum products within the Accra-Tema metropolis.

According to Mr Akoto who confirmed that the TOR was aware of the shortage of petroleum products in the Accra-Tema area, the problem was due to low deliveries from the refinery to oil marketing companies (OMCS) and ultimately to the market.

He stated that these delivery problems arose from supply delays from one of the country’s main suppliers of fuel.

“We are working to have these rectified soon, so that such disruptions do not create undue anxiety and panic amongst motorists and the general public”, he stressed.

Mr Akoto disclosed that a total of 11 million litres of the expected 13 million litres were released onto the market last week and this, he said, helps explain the situation.

The TOR Chief Executive disclosed that a total of two and a half million litres of petroleum products were delivered to the OMCS for distribution in Accra yesterday and expressed the hope that this would help return the fuel situation to normalcy.

He also indicated that TOR has about two weeks supply at the refinery and that, there was adequate crude oil stocks to meet the country’s needs.

He also indicated that finished petroleum products were also being imported into the country to supplement TOR’s production and gave the assurance that this would be done in a timely fashion to help keep the situation under control.