If consumers want high quality diesel, they must pay more – NPA

Despite concerns that diesel sold in Ghana is toxic, the National Petroleum Authority says it meets environmental standards.

Nonetheless if consumers feel the diesel distributed is inferior then they must be prepared to pay for more, CEO of the Authority Moses Asaga told Joy Midday News, Friday.

A global report has uncovered the flooding of Ghana’s market with toxic fuel that is threatening lives and destroying cars.

According to the report, the fuel imported into Ghana, mainly diesel is seriously toxic, sometimes 2000 times worse than the standards accepted in the EU and the USA.

The presence of sulphur determines the level of fuel quality. High levels indicate poor quality while a low level shows otherwise.

High levels of sulphur has been linked with several respiratory illnesses and car malfunctioning.

Moses Asaga revealed that Ghana has a 3000ppm level of sulphur in diesel on the market. In Europe, the level is 50ppm.

Despite the wide gap in quality, Moses Asaga said Ghana’s level is permissible within the accepted scale, hence there is no cause for alarm.

He said just as V-Power is superior to petrol, the European standard is superior to Ghana’s standard.

"If we want high quality fuel then we need to pay more… the thing is a price issue" Moses Asaga indicated

Supporting the NPA’s assertion, the Chief Executive Officer of Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors Senyo Hossi has also said it is a matter of cost that fuel providers in Europe supply Ghana with fuel which has been described as toxic.

Senyo Hossi says if Ghanaians don’t want to pay 10-ppm price for fuel, they should expect to be supplied with what they can afford.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com