The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has held a one-day seminar and sensitization with personnel drawn from some selected media houses in the Eastern Region.
The seminar was practically intended to sensitize journalists, who will also, in their daily broadcasts, educate the general public on the mandate and mode of operation of the NPA.
Addressing a team of journalists at Royal Mac-DDic in the Eastern Region capital, Koforidua, on Wednesday, May 3, the Head of Planning for the NPA, Mr. Dominic Aboagye, briefed the journalists on the role of the department, whose sole mandate is to ensure fuel availability in the country.
Mr. Aboagye extensively took the personnel through the fuel supply chain, local refinery capacity, legal management and stock monitoring, the supply of fuel to neighboring countries, threats and risks to fuel supply, and how the NPA is ensuring the security of fuel supply in the country.
He outlined the two main sources of fuel in the country, mainly importation and local production.
He indicated that the country has storage dotted across the country, including the coastal, Middle belt and the Northern parts of the country.
Touching on the local capacity refinery, he indicated that the Tema Oil Refinery, which has the capacity of refining 45,000 barrels per day, and the Akwaaba Oil Refinery, which also produces about 5,000 barrels of oil per day,
Others are Platon gas which refines 1,700 barrels per day. Mr. Aboagye revealed that a new refinery, Centuo refinery will in no time be operationalized which will be able to refine 40,000 barrels per day.
Giving details about the new refinery company, he added that the project will be in two phases. According to him, the first phase will be able to refine 40,000 barrels whiles the second phase will ramp up to 100,000 barrels per day.
“In terms of the local refinery, we have the Tema oil refinery with a capacity of 45,000 barrels per day, so they’re able to produce that much oil. We also have the Akwaaba oil with a capacity of 5,000 per day and Plaston Gas refines 1,700 per day. And then we have a new refinery, called Centuo. It will refine 40,000 barrels per day. It will be in two phases, the first phase will be 40,000 barrels and the second phase will ramp it up to 100,000”, he stated.
He further stated that once this refinery company is operational and the Tema oil refinery working at its full capacity, it will help the country to be self-reliant on petroleum products.
On his part, the Eastern Regional Manager for the NPA, Mr. David Owusu Kena urged drivers and car owners to desist from fuelling their vehicles to the brim.
According to him, the NPA has identified the actions of some drivers, especially commercial drivers who visit fuelling stations and refill their tanks and even step and wooden concrete ramps to adjust and fill their tanks to the brim.
The mindset of the drivers, according to the Regional manager Mr. Owusu Kena is to perceive and ensure that their tanks get fully filled.
However, he advised persons engaging in such acts to defray from such behaviours which will cause harm to their vehicles and even endangering vehicles to burst into flames.
He also called on persons who are willing to go into the sale of petroleum products to use the right channel to ensure that they do not infringe on the rules and regulations of the NPA and the safety of our environment and the lives of humanity.
He revealed that there are about 439 fuel retail outlets including LPG plants with the majority of them being situated in the Kwahu West and the Atiwa enclaves respectively.
He said the considerable growth of fuel station set-ups of about 8% since 2020 till date has been seen over the years yet, many of it has been sited in the Kwahu West Municipality and parts of Atiwa.
He added that a chunk of the LPG distribution plants are within the New Juaben Municipal areas which is less than a 5% growth.
The Chairman for the Consumer Protection Committee at the NPA, Mr. Kwame Sefa Kayi commended the team from the NPA for their tremendous efforts in making sure that the NPA continue to have smooth running and monitoring routines on their operations.