NPA Pushes for Harsher Penalties Against Illegal Fuel Stations

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is calling for a review of the current penalties for individuals who set up unauthorised fuel stations, arguing that existing fines are too lenient to deter illegal operations.

Currently, offenders face fines of less than GHS20,000, an amount the NPA says fails to reflect the risks posed by these unlicensed outlets—some of which have been linked to deadly explosions.

Addressing Parliament’s Energy Committee, NPA Chief Executive Officer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe stressed the need for more stringent enforcement to protect lives and property.

“If the penalties are punitive enough, it will discourage those unscrupulous people from setting up filling stations in unauthorised places. We all remember what happened at Haatso and the panic it caused across the system,” he said.

Tamakloe reiterated the Authority’s commitment to tightening regulatory enforcement and minimising the proliferation of illegal fuel stations across the country.