Bawumia’s Premix Fuel claims untrue – Kwaku Nicole

Mr. Kwaku Nicole, a former Chairman of the National Premix Fuel, has disputed Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s claims that the NPP government has resuscitated the ailing fishing industry and stamped out corruption that bedeviled the sale of premix fuel.

He told Kasapa 102.5 FM that Dr. Bawumia was misinformed by his handlers on the real issues concerning the fishing industry.

Bawumia on his take on the economy to mark the NPP government’s First 100 Days in Office at a Joy FM platform dubbed Town Hall Meeting on Monday said the government has opened up allocation of premix fuel to more OMCs.

He claimed that previously only 2 OMCs were allowed to sell premix, but “as part of government’s effort to ensure transparency and stamp out corruption, we have increased the number to 9.”

He continued “We halted the issuance of fishing licenses to stop overfishing. Trained Watch dog committees along the coast to fight the menace of light fishing.”

Commenting on the VEEP’s claims on Premix Fuel and the Fishing Industry as a whole, Mr Nicole said his administration dealt with not less than about 14 Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) in the distribution of Premix Fuel to fishermen scattered across the country.

“If anyone says there was no transparency then that is mischievous. The Fisher folks themselves have the right to choose their own OMCs they prefer to deal with.When we started in 2009, we had about 10 Oil Marketing Companies on-board and later the one who took over from me added on a few of them.

“We had Alinco Oil, Agapet, Star Oil, Champion Oil, Goil, Glory Oil, Strategic Oil, Rural Energy, Petrol Afrique, Radiance, Gulf Energy, and the rest. So at least we had about 14 OMCs we were working with.”