Interdict BOST MD over the sale of contaminated fuel – Minority

The Minority in Parliament is calling for the interdiction of the Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), Alfred Obeng, over the sale of contaminated fuel to Movenpiina Energy.

According to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), the transaction has led to a financial loss of Gh¢14.25 million to the State and the MD of BOST must pay the amount.

Addressing a press conference Tuesday, a former Energy Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah said the transaction lacks integrity and transparency since it was shrouded in secrecy.

“The claim by BOST that this contaminated fuel was sold at competitive ex-depot price is false and can’t be justified,” Buah stated. “When was the competitive bidding process initiated and who were the companies that participated?”

He added: “The evidence available confirms that Movenpiina Energy was the only company BOST dealt with in the sale of the contaminated product in a sole source transaction.”

Five million litres of fuel product was declared off-spec after going through an in-house technical assessment and a laboratory test by the Tema Oil Refinery. It followed what BOST termed as “human error” which led to the contamination of the product which is said to have resulted in ?7 million loss of revenue to the state.

However, the Minority said the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) could have been resorted to first to treat the fuel.

“What led to the contamination; lack of supervision or the deliberate works of some individuals at the expense of the state? Why didn’t BOST arrange with TOR for the treatment of this particular fuel?” the Minority asked.

Mr. Buah called on the government to withdraw the fuel from the market.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has called on the BOST boss to step aside for a full-scale investigation into the alleged sale of contaminated fuel.