Goil has suspended with immediate effect its membership with Association of Oil Marketing Companies.
This is after Goil received heavy criticism from energy players over its decision to reduce fuel charges by 15 pesawas.
Effective Tuesday, 7th of December, Goil announced that drivers will buy fuel at 6.70 cedi per liter down from 6.85 cedi.
The decision came against the backdrop of a GPRTU strike on Monday. The strike saw all drivers and public transport operators down their tools in protest of high fuel charges.
The strike led to intensive negotiation between the union and the presidency. From the meeting, energy players received a directive to lower oil prices shortly after which Goil announced the 15 pesawas reduction.
The decision was met by criticism from energy players accusing Goil of going against industry practice. AOMC went further to allege the reduction in fuel prices by was influenced by the Government of Ghana, a major shareholder in the company.
Much to the dissatisfaction of Goil, the energy player retaliated by withdrawing its membership from AOMC with immediate effect.
Challenging AOMC to provide proof of its government directive accusation, Goil says it’s a listed company whose decisions are based on commercial principles.
In a letter to AOMC, Goil heavily refutes claims of lowering fuel charges in a bid to undercut other energy players. According to Goil, the decision to lower fuel charges is in line with its in house policy to offer Ghanaian’s reprieve following the economic impact of Covid 19.
Further, according to Duncan Amoah, the CEO of Chamber for Petroleum consumers, the decision by Goil could be as a result of lower oil prices in the global market.
Following the governments directive on Monday to energy players to reduce cost of fuel, The AOMC had written to the Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, asking the government to stay away from the price deregulation as being implemented by Oil Marketing Companies.
Taking a firm stand against AOMC Goil says, “the Association [AOMCs] has shown gross disrespect to the company and treated it with contempt and public ridicule and has therefore decided to suspend its membership of the Association immediately.”
Source: Ghana/GHOnetv/Ondiro Oganga
