BNI, 7 others probe ‘dirty’ fuel deal

The Ministry of Energy has put together an eight-member committee to probe the sale of five million litres of contaminated fuel (off-spec) by the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) to private firm Movenpiina Company Limited which in turn sold the consignment to Zup Oil for distribution to the pumps.

The Committee is made up of representatives from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Ghana Standards Authority, Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Association of Oil Marketing, Energy Commission and relevant Civil Society Organisations.

They are to determine the circumstances that created the off-spec product, review procedures used by BOST to evacuate oil products, ascertain the quality of the product and the remaining quantity, determine if the product can be corrected and if not determine what to use it for and finally to review the transaction between BOST and Movenpiina.

The statement from the Energy Ministry said about 4,000 litres of the product have been evacuated but upon the instructions of the NPA, the evacuation of the remainder of the product has been suspended.

The Ministry said it is determined to ensure that the quality of fuel products is protected for the consumption of the general public.