The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has advised Ghanaians, particularly consumers of petroleum products to report any suspected cheating at the filling stations and outlets to the Authority for prompt investigation and action.

It said the Authority had the mandate to ensure the required revenue from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) reached the government, ensure returns for investment for OMCs and protect the interest of consumers.

“If you go to a filling station to purchase a petroleum product and you suspect you have been cheated, do not fight, just smile and request a receipt from them as evidence and quietly report to NPA because we are established and paid by government to fight for you”.

Bashiru Natogma, the Upper East Regional Manager of the NPA gave the advice at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region when the Authority engaged media practitioners in the region on their operations.

The Regional Manager urged stakeholders to assist the Authority to ensure value for money.

Mr Natogma said the NPA was working collaboratively with security agencies to clamp down on smuggling of petroleum products and operations of unlicensed filling stations and outlets in the region and noted that the effort had started yielding results.

“Smuggling is not going to happen anymore because their activities affect government’s revenue and the consumers, so the security are at the borders and we are also on the ground working with stringent measures to make it unattractive for the OMCs to receive smuggled products, so all the four corners of the region have been fortified,” he added.

He said the NPA had, within the year, closed 16 illegal reseller outlets in the region and was poised to consolidate the gains made to sanitize the system.

“Some of them have started talking to the OMCs and NPA on how to acquire the documents and some have already started acquiring the documents but the notorious ones are not going to do it and we will deal with them when the time comes because the NPA has sanctions for all persons who breach operational regulations,” he added.

Dominic Aboagye, the Head of Planning of NPA who took the journalists through fuel supply and availability in Ghana, urged the public to disregard reports of shortage of petroleum products in the country and noted that steps were being put in place to avoid any shortage.

He said the gold for oil policy being implemented by the government would help to increase the country’s foreign currency particularly the dollar which would go a long way to strengthen fuel security in the country.