Three arrested for posing as NPA inspection officers

Three men are in the grips of the Elubo District Police Station for posing as inspectors assigned by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to conduct inspections on gas stations within the Western Region.

Frederick Mensah, Isaac Opoku Mensah and George Larbi were arrested by staff of NPA and Superior Service Station after they submitted a written price list which stated that their company ‘Petrogolf’ were collaborating with NPA to conduct inspections of all gas stations for safe operations.

In the said list, it stated “we inspect, write the new valves you will require and bill you before we do the work for you. We also provide a certificate to show to the NPA when we are done.”

Narrating the incident that led to their arrest, the Takoradi Zonal Manager of NPA, David Azey Adeenze Kangah, disclosed that on 4th March 2019 at approximately 10am the manager of the gas station informed him about the suspects.

Upon realizing they were not officials of NPA, Mr Kanga arranged with the Police Command to arrest the suspects and impound the Toyota Highlander with registration number GS 1434-18 they used in their illicit exercise.

“Upon further interrogation, they claimed that they had earlier provided services to Adom Gas at Half Assini. Checks from our database could not confirm any gas station at Half Assini called Adom Gas,” he recounted.

The Zonal manager reiterated that, “the suspects do not have any form of authorization or license from the Authority to operate.”

He said the NPA team after the arrest visited some gas stations in Elubo and realized the suspected impostors had visited the gas stations and left a note with a price list.
Mr Kanga stated this was not the first time his office had received complaints from Petroleum Service Providers of people using NPA’s name to extort monies.

“This incidence is a typical example of what they talk about. This situation will not be taken on a lighter note. We will ensure the perpetrators are made to face the full rigorous of the law”.

The NPA has given indication it will continue to work together with the various oil companies and the general public, to fish out such unscrupulous persons who often try to misuse their name for fraudulent activities.