Ghana’s anti-corruption agency, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), says it is investigating thirty (30) Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country for their alleged involvement in a fuel diversion scheme.
The OMCs are alleged to have diverted marine gas oil, premix fuel, and diesel.
The OSP revealed this in a statement issued on Friday, providing an update on ongoing investigations being undertaken by the office.
However, the OSP did not name the OMCs involved in the alleged diversion.
According to the OSP, the suspected diversions have major revenue implications, adding that efforts are underway to recover millions of cedis that should have accrued to the state.
It would be recalled that the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) recently raised concerns about fuel diversion and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.
The Chief Executive Officer of COMAC, Dr. Riverson Oppong, and the Chairman of the Chamber, Gabriel Kumi, alleged that there are significant revenue losses linked to illegal bunkering activities in Ghanaian territorial waters, where subsidised fuel is being diverted for unauthorised commercial use.
“The implications of these illegal operations result in higher operating costs for genuine beneficiaries in the fishing industry and unfair competition against tax-compliant PSPs,” they said.
These illegal activities, they noted, have resulted in an unsustainable 553 per cent increase in MGO local volumes over the 2022–2024 period, which the Chamber described as worrying.
“This situation raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of regulatory enforcement and the integrity of existing control systems,” they added.
Discover more from Energy News Africa
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.