Fuel quality policy in the offing

The drafting of the National Fuel Quality Policy has been completed in 2019 and is yet to be considered by Cabinet for approval, culminating in regulatory directives, the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) 2019 Ghana Petroleum Industry Report, has said.

The report said the draft policy has been shared with industry stakeholders for review.

The purpose of the National Fuel Quality Policy is to provide the framework for the development of guidelines, standards, and regulations.

It will also provide the basis for the strategies, programs and actions required to reduce the risks of poor-quality fuels to the environment, health and durability of equipment using the fuels, and contribute to efforts towards curbing climate change.

The policy was formulated with broad stakeholder consultations that saw inputs from all players including the Ministry of Energy (MoEn), National Petroleum Authority (NPA) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,) the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) and Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs).

In compliance with the broader agenda across the African region and the world at large, the policy shall be driven to ensure the principles and regulations of the international agreements such as the Paris Convention, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Africa Refiners Association’s goal to ensure the highest standards of fuel quality are pursued along the supply and distribution chain in line with best practices worldwide.

Fuel Quality Policy Statement

It is the obligation of Government to ensure its citizens are protected and guaranteed a healthy environment. In recent times, there have been global environmental and health concerns regarding emissions from the energy sector, particularly from fuels for transportation.

The energy sector, undoubtedly, is a major contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in Ghana by reason of the type of fuels burned. Having cleaner fuels available on the market and implementing tight standards will go a long way in contributing towards achieving lower emissions and better air quality.

This has necessitated the review of various specifications and standards regarding fuel quality in the country. The need for continuous improvement in the quality of all fuels supplied onto the local market cannot be overemphasized.

“In this regard, it is imperative that Government takes the necessary steps to ensure that a proper framework is developed to guide all efforts aimed at improving the quality of fuels sold in the country in a structured and well-coordinated manner,” the report said.

It added that government shall provide top-level support for all fuel quality review initiatives and will continually strive to demonstrate utmost leadership by ensuring that the highest standards of fuel quality are pursued along the supply and distribution chain in line with best practices worldwide.

The Government shall take appropriate actions to minimize threats or change conditions through emissions that endanger public health in an environmentally sensitive and responsible manner.

“This policy shall be reviewed and revised as necessary at regular intervals in a manner that meets and exceeds stakeholder expectations.”