Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, NPA Boss
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, says the Authority is reviewing the Act 691 to meet international standards, demands and expectations.
Dr Abdul-Hamid said this when he interacted with journalists in Sunyani to begin his working visit to the Bono Region, to enable him and other key staff of the Authority to familiarise and interact with industry players.
The visit also paved the way for the Chief Executive to access first-hand information on activities, facilities and infrastructure in the sector.
He noted that the review had become necessary because certain limitations had been identified in the Act, which regulate and ensures safety standards in the petroleum sector.
Dr Abdul-Hamid said rapid changes in the petroleum sector had necessitated amendments in some provisions in Act 691 to prevent fuel adulteration and ensure high quality products and services.
Progress
He said the Authority, since its establishment, had made incremental progress in perfecting the regulatory regime and frameworks to ‘police’ the industry to meet international best practices and standards.
“The industry, which initially had about two oil marketing companies (OMCs), now had more than 200, including Liquefied Petroleum Gas, an indication of an exponential growth in the downstream petroleum sector,” he said.
Dr Abdul-Hamid noted that, over the years, the Authority had worked hard to ensure high and quality standards through the introduction of the electric cargo tracking and the automatic tank gauging systems, among other interventions.
“It is the responsibility of the Authority to regulate the industry and ensure petroleum products delivered to the final consumer are efficiently authenticated,” he said, adding that companies who fall short of the set minimum benchmark are sanctioned.
He called on the municipal and district assemblies to collaborate with the relevant institutions and regulatory bodies to ensure fuel filling stations were set up in a hazardous-free environment.
According to him, the use of gallons and bottles to buy petroleum products were out-lawed, cautioning pump attendants against such dangerous practices.
Established in 2005, the NPA is responsible for regulating, monitoring and overseeing the downstream petroleum industry, covering importation, storage, and distribution of the country’s entire petroleum value chain.
Credit: GNA
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