The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) has denied reports that it imports inferior fuel on to the Ghanaian market.
The Chronicle Newspaper reported on Monday that the BDCs import products that are considered low quality and sold at cheaper prices in their home markets.
The newspaper further stated that the Tema Oil Refinery’s laboratory has consistently rejected the products supplied by the BDCs because they fall below the acceptable octane level.
“Investigations into the affairs of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) revealed that though the refinery is presently not refining any crude, it has to administer its own chemicals, known as MMT to raise the standards of some of the imported finished products that are brought in by the BDCs in order to meet the acceptable octane levels,’’ the story noted.
But the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the chamber, Senyo Horsi in a sharp rebuttal on Citi Prime News said: ‘’the [accusation] is absolutely false; there is no truth whatsoever to that’’.
According to him before products come to Ghana, they are tested and validated before it goes on the market. “Products cannot be allowed to enter [Ghana] if they are sub-standard,’’ he stated.
He also described the report of the Chronicle newspaper as “unfortunate distractions”.
Mr. Horsi also said the fact that the paper was unable to give any tangible references is an indication the publication was done mischievously to tarnish the image of the BDC.
He further stressed the BDCs were rather losing money due to the cedi’s depreciating rate against the dollar adding that, the news paper report will undermine the hard work the BDC was doing to ensure petroleum products are available in the country.
“What the paper is doing is wrong. We are hardworking people and the BDC is losing so please don’t make our work harder than it already is, we don’t need distractions like these,’’ he said.