The government has initiated a stringent crackdown on the diversion and hoarding of premix fuel. The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development is intensifying efforts to safeguard Ghana’s premix fuel subsidy programme, ensuring its benefits are properly directed to the genuine fisherfolk throughout the nation.
This renewed commitment is part of broader measures to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency within the premix fuel distribution system. As part of stakeholder engagement, the Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC), led by Chief Executive Officer Dr. Riverson Oppong, made a courtesy visit to the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, to discuss ongoing concerns regarding the diversion, hoarding, and misuse of subsidised premix fuel.
Dr. Oppong emphasized that the premix fuel subsidy was introduced to support small-scale fishers and canoe operators by making fuel affordable and accessible, thereby sustaining livelihoods in coastal and inland fishing communities. However, he expressed concern that the subsidy’s original purpose is being undermined by individuals diverting fuel intended for fishing communities and reselling it at inflated prices for personal gain.
He stressed that the subsidy is strictly meant to support fisherfolk and not for profiteering, urging for enhanced collaboration between the Chamber and the Ministry to curb illegal practices and strengthen accountability mechanisms within the distribution chain. According to him, urgent interventions are necessary to address challenges such as fuel diversion, hoarding, and unaccounted losses, which he described as significant regulatory and law enforcement concerns.
In response, Minister Emelia Arthur reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to addressing illegalities within the premix fuel distribution system. She disclosed that the Ministry, in collaboration with the Premix Fuel Secretariat, has intensified monitoring efforts and is actively working to track and apprehend those involved in illicit activities. The Minister assured the Chamber of the continued support of the Fisheries Enforcement Unit (FEU) in prosecuting offenders found culpable, reiterating the government’s resolve to protect the integrity of the subsidy regime.
She emphasized the Ministry’s firm commitment to ensuring subsidised premix fuel reaches its intended beneficiaries, who are fisherfolk, and is not diverted for unlawful profit-making purposes. Meanwhile, field observations conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in the Anloga District of the Volta Region indicate that premix fuel distribution in the area is largely managed in accordance with established regulations. No cases of diversion or hoarding have been reported recently, though there have been unverified reports of overpricing.
The District Chief Executive, Sandra Kpedor, has also undertaken accountability sessions across landing beaches to reinforce compliance and improve monitoring of premix fuel distribution activities. In separate engagements with fisherfolk at various landing beaches in the District, they indicated that although fuel supply is not always regular, periodic deliveries have generally been adequate to sustain their fishing activities and livelihoods.
Premix fuel is a government-subsidised mixture of petrol (gasoline) and premix oil used to power outboard motors in Ghana’s artisanal fishing sector, making it more affordable for small-scale fisherfolk. It is distributed through Landing Beach Committees (LBCs) based on community needs such as fleet size and fishing activity. About 53 percent of premix sales margins are reinvested into community development projects, including schools, health facilities, and markets in fishing communities. The system is regulated under the National Premix Fuel Committee Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2233).
By Benard Worlali Awumee
Source: Access Agric
