Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), a consumer advocacy group in the Republic of Ghana, West Africa, is alleging that its intelligence reports indicate that the fire that gutted Goodness Energy tanker yard in Kpone, near Tema, on Wednesday night occurred because there was some illegal activities which were going on in the yard.
Twelve tankers got burnt while an office block in the yard was also razed by the inferno.
Deputy Tema Regional Commander of Ghana’s National Fire Service, Mr Timothy Osafo Affum told energynewsafrica.com that they have begun investigations to establish the cause of the fire.
However, COPEC says its intelligence points to the fact that there were persons who were engaging in manual adulteration of fuel.
“Intelligence sources indicate the blast had been occasioned by some illegal activities resulting from the boxing of some premix fuel with PMS and AGO using manual pumps in the process,” COPEC alleged in a statement signed by its Executive Director Duncan Amoah.
“A recently launched industry report by the CBOD estimates that about Ghc 2.7 billion of revenues due the state had been lost to these illegal operators within the past 3 years, it is thus our expectation that the state will go after these operators to clamp down on such activities to forestall any further revenue loses to the state.
“The practice of diverting and adulterating fuel products not only deprives the state of the much needed revenues but also puts consumers at a very high risk of developing all manner of mechanical and transmission challenges with their vehicles as the resultant products are usually far below the acceptable minimum national specifications and standards,” the statement continued.
Efforts by energynewsafrica.com to speak to owners of Goodness Energy proved futile.
Below is the full statement
Explosion At A Fuel Tank Yard In Kpone
Halt The Fuel Adulteration Now
The country has once again been hit with the sad incident of an explosion involving a number of Bulk Road Vehicles or fuel tankers last night at the Kpone enclave.
Over 15 BRVs are believed to have been affected in this recent explosion purported to be emanating from some illegal fuel boxing or adulteration activities within the said yard.
Intelligence sources indicate the blast had been occasioned by some illegal activities resulting from the boxing some premix fuel with PMS and AGO using manual pumps in the process.
While this unfortunate practice of mixing or adulteration of fuels is heavily frowned upon and sanctions should be strict and severe, recent developments suggest very little has been achieved in that regard.
Reports of premix fuel diversions abound and we expect authorities to clamp down heavily on these operators who are engaged in this illegal trade of diverting premix fuel meant for fishing boats, to some tank yards to be adulterated with other petroleum products for onward sale and discharge at some specific fuel stations.
The latest fire incident only further exposes how profound the adulteration of products continues to be a major headache confronting both the authorities and Ghanaian consumers.
A recently launched industry report by the CBOD estimates that about Ghc 2.7 billion of revenues due the state had been lost to these illegal operators within the past 3 years, it is thus our expectation that the state will go after these operators to clamp down on such activities to forestall any further revenue loses to the state.
The practice of diverting and adulterating fuel products not only deprives the state of the much needed revenues but also puts consumers at a very high risk of developing all manner of mechanical and transmission challenges with their vehicles as the resultant products are usually far below the acceptable minimum national specifications and standards.
Whiles we believe proper investigations will be carried out at the said tank yard, we will want to see perpetrators of such criminal practices of diverting and adulteration of petroleum products brought to book immediately to serve as a deterrent to others engaged in this illegal trade.
We further call on the NPA and the Ghana Standards Authority to immediately conduct an audit trail of all such products sent to some of these tanker yards and the fuel stations that buy or patronize such products in order to protect the unsuspecting public from the harm adulteration does to our engines as any attempts to cover or protect the perpetrators will be countenanced.
Signed
Duncan Amoah
Executive Secretary