The Association of Premix Distributing Oil Marketing Companies has also added its voice to calls for the arrest and prosecution of persons said to have diverted to other areas, premix fuel meant for fishermen across the country.<\/p>\n
According to the Association, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), can rely on the same tracking system that detected the diversions, to fish out the perpetrators for the necessary sanctions.<\/p>\n
The Premix Distributors Association\u00a0 gave the advice in a statement signed by its secretary, Ransford Kissi Appiah and copied citifmonline.com<\/strong>.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”XTXKmiolPJ2veJUxbg1TfKkHfOVyCxju”]\u201c\u2026We humbly appeal to the NPA to use the tracking technology at their disposal to effect the arrest of perpetrators in the act to serve as deterrent.\u201d<\/p>\n The Association also appealed to the NPA to give its members access to the tracking system to help forestall such illegal diversions within the sector.<\/p>\n \u201cTo help prevent further deterioration of the situation, we urgently appeal to the NPA to consider granting OMCs access to the tracking system. This is to help arrest any driver\/LBC [Landing Beach Committee] collusion in the discharge of our duties to our dear nation,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n Background <\/strong><\/p>\n Reports from the NPA suggest that,\u00a0over 200 cases<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of diversions have been recorded since January 2017 till date.<\/p>\n Citi News<\/strong> sighted several letters the NPA wrote to the National Premix Committee and the stakeholders\u00a0 in the sector, complaining about the matter, but has not been able to make any arrests.<\/p>\n Premix fuel sector gold mine for party executives \u2013 Inland Fisherman<\/strong><\/p>\n Chairman of the National Inland Canoe Fishermen Council, Jacob Tetteh Ageke, has suggested that political party executives in various constituencies are involved in the act, adding that they profit hugely from the mismanagement of the distribution.<\/p>\n Mr. Owusu confirmed this, reminding the NPA to be tough regardless of political influence.<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue lies with NPA. NPA has to be tough irrespective of whoever is there because these are political people who have taken a position in this premix issue so it is very risky as an authority trying to stamp your authority on these things. I believe the NPA can do more. \u201c<\/p>\n Pre-mix fuel diversion: We can\u2019t punish perpetrators \u2013 Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Pre-mix Fuel committee, Nii Lantey Bannerman, has said his outfit does not have the power to sanction persons who divert subsidized premix fuel meant for fishermen to other areas to be sold to industries.<\/p>\n According to him, only the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) can sanction or withdraw the licenses of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) who perpetrate such acts.<\/p>\n OMCs making abnormal profit from diversion<\/strong>s<\/p>\n The government is spending several millions of cedis subsidizing the cost of premix fuel for fishermen, who are buying it at Gh7.20 pesewas per gallon.<\/p>\n Per\u00a0Citi News\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0calculations, the diversions from January to October alone have cost the country about 7 million cedis.<\/p>\n However, there are reports that those diverting the product are selling it to industries about two times the price, thereby creating artificial shortages in the fishing communities, and denying fishermen their due.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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