The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has appealed to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to ensure that Chinese company, Sentuo Refinery sticks to the production of oil and gas products.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Wednesday, the Executive Secretary, Duncan Amoah, stated these Chinese may think they are smart and explore other business opportunities to their benefit.
Under the local content law and the deregulation of the petroleum sector, the haulage of petroleum products across the country is reserved for indigenous Ghanaian companies.
Mr Amoah has therefore implored the NPA to be firm on whatever decision is made on the refinery’s operation.
“Those trucks were not brought in for any Ghanaian to work. We all endorsed the local content law to protect the few Ghanaians but the mere thinking by Sentuo that all companies are doing top-bottom loading but they want to do only bottom, they are blacking out on local people who have been licensed.
“It is an indirect and backdoor means to monopolise the market. They should not hide behind Ghanaian big men to bring in a haulage,” he bemoaned.
His comments come in the wake of concerns raised by Tanker Owners Unions over the influx of Chinese tanker trucks in the country.
The union in the past weeks has been mounting pressure on government over the importation of tanker trucks by Sentuo refinery due to which local businesses risk collapse.
Dr Amoah who shared similar sentiments said this is not an issue to be dealt with by the unions but NPA which is the regulatory body.
He vowed that COPEC will resist any attempts to create a favourable market for the Chinese company at the expense of Ghanaians.
“The situation goes beyond tanker owners. NPA as the regulatory body must take charge because COPEC will not allow this to fester.
“If possible, NPA should park all the trucks in one area and monitor them. Sentuo has come with a refinery and that is enough; they should stick to that,” he said.
Meanwhile, following threats by the tanker unions to halt the exportation of petroleum products nationwide, NPA has taken steps to resolve the matter.
NPA has asked the Chinese company to cease operations because their involvement was illegal under the law.
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