The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) is calling on the government to make settling the energy sector’s debts a top priority in the short to medium term.
This move aims to free up revenues for development purposes, as a significant portion of levies – approximately GHS 9.7 billion – is currently allocated for debt servicing in the energy and road sectors.
Addressing the media at a news conference on Downstream Petroleum Products Taxation,Policy Lead at ACEP, Mr Kodzo Yaotse, called on NPA to build regulatory capacity to facilitate healthy competition in the downstream petroleum sector and detect anti-competitive behaviour.
According to him,this will revert the current trend of the NPA’s wholesale intervention in product pricing and control of downstream transactions and procurement of services in a deregulated market.
Mr Kodzo Yaotse, is of the view that it will ensure transparency and accountability in BOST’s operations while reducing the burden on consumers.
He added that NPA should focus on tracking the quality and quantity of fuel delivery into the country and at the pump, adding it will eliminate the need for revenue assurance contracts and cumbersome fuel tracking systems by NPA.
Further Mr Kodzo Yaotse called on the government to provide direct financial support fisherfolk to purchase their fuel, rather than maintaining an outdated and corrupt subsidy program.
story by Aikins Agyei
