Fuel prices to go up again

• Posted on May 17, 2021May 17, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (CPCG) is projecting a further rise in petroleum prices in 10 days.

The new prices will take effect on or before Tuesday, May 18.

In a press release signed by Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah, CPCG stated that because of ongoing geopolitical events, the international market price for petrol has moved from $630.525/mt to $655.625/mt.

For Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel, the prices have moved to $545/Mt from $520/Mt. LPG has also seen a little over $1.6377 increase within the period.

“These increases on the international market translate to around Ghp8 per litre on local pump prices for both petrol and diesel or around 5% on international price index, representing a further increase of about 1.25% variance on current pump prices,” the statement.

The press release further stated that, “this will add to the recent increases”.

This comes barely two weeks after prices at the pumps in Ghana shot up by 12% due to the introduction of some taxes, increases in margins by the National Petroleum Authority, the industry as well as price increases on the international market.

Following an agitation by citizens, the National Petroleum Authority rescinded its decision to increase the fuel margin to 17 pesewas per litre.

In a communique dated May 4, NPA revealed that, “the 17 pesewas per litre increase in fuel margins previously announced by the NPA has been reduced to 9 pesewas per litre effective Wednesday 5^th May 2021.”

The CPCG indicated that because the country does not seem to have in place any mitigating policies to cushion the average citizen from these international market price shocks, the effects of this increase will reflect directly at the pumps and on pockets of the people.

“We call on Authorities to as a matter of urgency put concrete strategies in place to forestall these increases as it is affecting harshly the general cost of living within the country with transport operators waiting to slap increases on fares in the coming days,” CPCG stressed.

FUEL PRICES GOING UP AGAIN IN A SPATE OF 10 DAYS

Barely a fortnight after prices at the pumps in Ghana shot up by over 12% due to the introduction of some taxes, increases in margins by the NPA and industry as well as increases on the international market fuel prices are set to go up again in the next few hours.

Geopolitical events over the past few days have led to increases in International Market Prices from $630.525/mt to around $655.625/mt for premium or petrol as of Friday whiles prices of AGO or diesel has moved from $520/Mt to $545/Mt.

LPG has also seen a little over $1.6377 increase within the period though the country’s currency has been relatively stable within the period.

These increases on the international market translates to around Ghp 8/litre on local pump prices for both petrol and diesel or around 5% on international price index representing a further increase of about 1.25% variance on current pump prices.

This variance is expected to likely reflect at the Ghanaian pumps on or before Tuesday (18/05/2021) and will eventually add on to the recent increases of over 12% a few days ago thereby bringing the cumulative increases at the Ghanaians pumps to, in excess of a cumulative nominal Ghp 68/litre or 14% increases at the pumps within a spate of under 10 days.

The trend if not checked could likely continue or escalate as the geopolitical developments are pointing to bullish sentiments on the international market in the coming days.

The country does not have seem to have in place any mitigating policies or programmes in place to cushion the average Ghanaian from these International Market price shocks as the effects reflect directly at the pumps and on pockets.

A myriad of taxes including the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levy component on pump prices which should have provided a buffer in times like these for some of these price movements has barely ever been used to cushion Ghanaians and the market around these times when needed and thus fuel prices becoming pretty unbearable on pockets.

The country’s Strategic Stocks which could have also been used to offset these price movements on the international market is currently nonexistent as the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation instead of holding strategic stocks has now become fully commercial in their outlook though they continue to take monies from Ghanaians at the pumps in the name of Bost margins, we believe this particular margin ought to be looked at again if we need to bring fuel prices down.

The current state of Ghana’s only National Refinery leaves so much to be desired as nothing seems to work from poor management practices and decisions as no productivity is happening there, even water has over the past few weeks been disconnected from the Refinery due to its inability to settle Ghana Water Company its indebtedness.

We call on Authorities to as a matter of urgency put concrete strategies in place to forestall these increases as it is affecting harshly the general cost of living within the country with transport operators waiting to slap increases on fares in the coming days.

Signed.

Duncan Amoah

Executive Secretary.