BOST explains the 5million litres fuel was contaminated on Jan 18, 2017

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Jun - 27 - 2017 , 21:52 4 minutes read

The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) has explained that the contamination of the about 5million litres of fuel occurred on January 18, 2017 and that it happened as a result of accidental mixture of petrol and diesel.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, BOST said this happened before the current Managing Director, Mr. Alfred Obeng Boateng took over from his predecessor on January 23, 2017.

It said the staff involved in the accidental mixture were sanctioned appropriately.

Reacting to allegations leveled against BOST and its managing director over the sale of the an off-spec product on to the Ghanaian market, BOST said not even a litre of the off-spec product was on the market and that the allegations of ACEP were false

“Some of the product sold to the off-taker now reside in the tank farm of Zupoil Ltd. at Tema which has been verified as at June 27, 2017. A joint team of NPA officials, Representative from Consumer Protection Agency, National Security and the Media have inspected the off- spec product so far lifted from BOST depot and is confirmed intact and secured in their yard contrary to the allegations that the product is being sold on the market,” the statement said.

Below is a copy of the statement from BOST

PRESS RELEASE

It has come to our attention about some serious allegation leveled against BOST and its managing director over the sale of an off-spec product on to the Ghanaian market.

The management of BOST wants to respond to these allegations and explain the status of the sale of the off-spec product alleged to have found its way to the pump stations.

BOST would like to re-emphasize and assure the public that, not even a liter of the off-spec product is on the market and that the allegations of ACEP are false.

It should be put on record that BOST has not imported any ship load of off-spec product into its installations.

This off-spec product is as a result of an accidental mixture of petrol and diesel that occurred on the 18th January 2017 during receipt of product into the BOST depot at Tema before the Managing Director took over from his predecessor on the 23rd of January 2017. The staff involved were sanctioned appropriately.

To ascertain the actual parameter of the product, Management sent samples to TOR for verification and came up with options for the disposal of the off-spec product.

Some of the product sold to the off-taker now reside in the tank farm of Zupoil Ltd. at Tema which has been verified as at June 27, 2017. A joint team of NPA officials, Representative from Consumer Protection Agency, National Security and the Media have inspected the off- spec product so far lifted from BOST depot and is confirmed intact and secured in their yard contrary to the allegations that the product is being sold on the market.

We want to highlight that these issues are coming up due to the fact that Mr. Alfred Obeng is cleaning the rot of his predecessor that include;

1. Diverting GHC 40.5million of company funds to a fictitious account currently under investigation.

2. Awarding an overpriced contract of $39 million to construct the BOST head office complex, (suspended by the new MD).

3. Awarding an overpriced contract of $19 million to construct a pipeline from APD to Akosombo (suspended by the new MD)

4. Paid an amount of $1.8 million as a retainer fee for a company sourcing funds for BOST projects. Though the company could not source funds for BOST, an additional amount of $89,000 was paid as success fee on 27th September 2016. This is under investigation.

5. BOST is challenging ACEP and its likes to show or reveal the identity of the fuel stations that have the contaminated product.

The minority's assertion that the MD of BOST should be interdicted is baseless and unfounded. It is a political plan to divert the new MD's attention from dealing with the rot of his predecessor, Mr. Kingsley Kwame Awuah- Darko which has left BOST with a debt close to $300,000,000.
No amount of propaganda against Mr. Alfred Obeng will change his vision for BOST.