The Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi, has said it is possible for Ghana to be supplied with ‘safe’ fuel but the process will come at extra cost to country.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Senyo Hosi said “you don’t just change standards in a country, it can have implications…there is a logistical constraint.
If Ghana wants to go the spec that we are looking for, the product is accessible but it also comes at a premium”. He noted that, Ghana, which currently shares oil vessel with Nigeria, will no longer have that advantage since the country would have to incur extra cost for a dedicated vessel to reduce the part per million (ppm) sulphur in its fuel.
He explained that, “Because we share the same spec of diesel with Nigeria, a huge vessel could just move out of Europe and the cost per metric ton of a liter to business and the consumer will become minimal when Ghana alone moves, you will just have a dedicated [vessel] coming just for Ghana and other compartments separately; so the cost for Ghana goes up a little more.
If we are willing to bear that cost that is not a problem” According to a report published by Public Eye, a Swiss-based NGO, which is partner to Ghana’s ACEP, some European companies have been shipping toxic diesel to many African countries including Ghana.
The report revealed that, the diesel samples contained up to 378 times more sulphur than is permitted in Europe. But according to Mr. Hosi, the report must not cause fear and panic since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has not advised on whether or not the reported diesel quality was extremely dangerous. He said although it was necessary Ghana complies with the best practices, the country’s progress from 1,000-ppm to 2,000-ppm must be appreciated.
According to him, the process will require standardization from stakeholders including Ghana’s standardization bodies, policy makers as well as other bodies operating within continent.
About Public Eye For around 50 years, the Swiss NGO Public Eye (formerly Berne Declaration), has offered a critical analysis of the impact that Switzerland, and its companies, has on poorer countries.
Through its research and campaigning, and with the support of its more than 25,000 members, Public Eye fights against injustices with a significant link to Switzerland and demands the respect of human rights throughout the world.
In May 2014, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) discovered that a US Jetta and a US Passat released four times as much nitrogen oxide on the street as they did in the laboratory.
The non-profit organization informed the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Californian Air Resources Board about this manipulation – and thereby caught the world’s attention with what became known as the VW scandal.
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