The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has shutdown calls by some Ghanaians, to regulate the fast-rising fuel prices at the pumps.
On Monday, October 31, 2022, some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) adjusted their prices upwards, selling petrol and diesel for about GHS 14 and GHS 18 per litre respectively.
In less than 24 hours, fuel prices hit an all-time high, with petrol selling at about GHS18 per litre and diesel retailing at over GHS 23.
In light of the new price window, agitated Ghanaians called on the NPA to regulate and stabilize fuel prices.
Responding to the call, the NPA has stated that the Authority is not mandated to determine or stabilize the price of petroleum products at the pump.
Speaking to the media, the Communications Manager at NPA, Mohammed Abdul Kudus, disclosed that the mandate to regulate prices of fuel was abolished after the NPA ACT was amended in 2005.
“It appears that people are still living in the past of what they knew the NPA to be prior to 2015 because the determination of the pricing has actually been taken away from NPA, and so we virtually can be called a Police and that still cloaks us with the responsibility of regulation.”
“Regulation is just not about the determination of the prices, but the regulation also involves how the prices are arrived at and that is one critical role that we play at NPA.”
Per the NPA ACT 2005, the object of the Authority is to regulate, oversee and monitor activities in the petroleum downstream industry and where applicable do so in pursuance of the prescribed petroleum pricing formula.
To achieve these objectives, the NPA is mandated to monitor ceilings on the price of petroleum products in accordance with the prescribed petroleum pricing formula.
The Authority, among other things, is also obligated to provide guidelines for petroleum marketing operations; protect the interests of consumers and petroleum service providers.
Source: The Independent Ghana