NPA calls for designated courts to handle petroleum-related offences

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA), the regulators of the nation’s downstream petroleum sector, has advocated establishment of a designated Court to handle petroleum-related cases and offences.

According to Mrs. Farida Ali-Musah, the Legal Manager, NPA, such a court was required to facilitate expeditious prosecution of petroleum-related offences and breaches in the downstream sector.

She alleged that with such a court in place, the police prosecutor, judiciary and key stakeholders would be well empowered, understand and appreciate the magnitude of petroleum-related offences, Mrs Ali-Musah, sai said this  during a media engagement in Sunyani.

This, according to her, would give realistic interpretation to the Executive Instrument (EI) 378, enacted to enhance the authority’s regulatory mandate, saying the Authority would soon engage the Chief Justice, Attorney General and judiciary to facilitate processes for the setting up of the court.

The NPA organised the engagement, being held nationwide to sensitise the media on its activities and happenings in the country’s petroleum sector.

Mrs. Ali-Musah said misapplication of prescribed petroleum formula, obstruction and interference of personnel of the authority in the discharge of their duties, as well as false statements and withholding of material information were serious offences in the downstream sector.

She explained with the EI 378 in place, the NPA was well-positioned to prosecute offences in the sector, however, it was yet to enforce the Instrument “we are sensitizing all the relevant key stakeholders and the public to before”.

Mr Kojo Appiah Odame, the Bono Regional Manager, NPA said petroleum products being sold at all the licensed fuel pumps in the region were good quality, saying the authority heightened the country’s fuel pass mark from 80 to 87 percent.

He said the NPA Act 691 prohibited the sale of petrol or diesel on table-tops, worrying that the practice was common in parts of the region.

The Regional Manager said the Authority in the region with the support from the Police and other key stakeholders would undertake vigorous enforcement to clamp down on the perpetrators and called on the media to help intensify public sensitization on the mandate of the NPA.

Responding to a question on the NPA position on renewable energy transition, Mr Dominic Aboagye, the Head of Planning, NPA, said Africa required more time to undergo the transition processes to derive optimum benefits.