By Omotayo Edubi
Ghana’s Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, has expressed concerns over the defilement of fuel and the increasing cases of smuggling to neighboring countries.
The minister expressed his concerns during a meeting with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Chief executive, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hameed, where he stated that the region is very famous for smuggling of agricultural inputs and also petroleum products.
Dr. Bin Sahlih called on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to raise the pace of supervision and monitoring in the region.
“Our region is notorious for not only smuggling agriculture inputs but petroleum products as well. I want to assure you as chairman of the REGSEC, we will liaise with you to bring this issue to an end. People have been complaining about the quality of fuel in the region. I believe strongly that most of the fuel operators adulterate their fuel. So, I will want people in charge of quality assurance to up their game and go round frequently,” he stated.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid was accompanied by some directors of the Authority on a five-day working tour of five regions, namely: Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Bono and Ashanti Regions.
In his brief remarks, the Chief Executive assured the Regional Minister that recently the Authority has taken stringent measures against fuel adulteration.
He said some industry players have been sanctioned with hefty fines for fuel adulteration. Others have had their retail outlets locked up.
He added that the new measure the Authority will adopt is publishing the names of such defaulting players so that the consuming public can make better decisions.
On the smuggling, the Director of Security and Intelligence of NPA, Alhaji Haruna Kamel outlined the measures his office has put in place together with the Regional Managers to fight the menace.
He said with the assurance of support from the Regional Minister, the fight against smuggling will be strengthened.
The NPA Chief Executive and his entourage later called on the Overlord of the Wa Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV.
They also visited the Upper West Regional Police Commander and the staff of NPA in the region.
