Adnan Adams Mohammed
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) led government’s claim that it has reduced sulphur content in fuels from 3000ppm to 50ppm has been refuted as a lie as evidence shows it was done in 2016.
The NPP in its manifesto, page 73, item number 169 under the Energy and Petroleum sector stated that it promised in 2016 that, it will “Improve the quality of fuel produced or imported into Ghana by reviewing standards for sulphur content in the fuels.”
It also said, under their current administration, “NPA has revised the sulphur content standards from 3,000ppm to 50ppm (equivalent to European Standards), which are being currently implemented.” But, some energy experts have exposed the NPP claims as a lie.
“It is a total falsehood. This was done as far back in 2016 under the NDC and Mahama led government”, the former CEO of National Petroleum Authority and GNPC, Alex Mould reacted, citing a publication originally published by Daily Graphic and republished on the NPA website dated, 01 November 2016.
A web link address to the publication as published in 2016 provided as evidence to refute the NPP is attached here: https://www.npa.gov.gh/news/npa-revises-sulphur-content-for-imported-diesel
Read the full publication as published on NPA Website:
Tuesday, 01 November 2016, 07:55
NPA revises sulphur content for imported diesel
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has revised the national sulphur specification for diesel imported into the country from maximum 500 parts per million (ppm) to 50 ppm or lower, effective January 2017.
The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has, therefore, been given a three-year grace period to reconfigure its equipment to attain the 50 ppm mark set in the draft national standard.
According to the NPA, to attain the 50 ppm mark from the current 1000 ppm produced by the refinery would mean that the whole refinery would have to be re-configured which might need a capital cost of between US$200 million and US$300 million.
The revised figures represent another significant reduction in the national specification of sulphur in diesels which was pegged at 3000 ppm but reduced to 500 ppm by the NPA after deliberations with industry stakeholders on October 3, 2016.
Improving air quality
Addressing participants in a workshop on “Promoting Low Sulphur Fuels in West Africa,” the Deputy Minister of Petroleum, Mr Ben Dagadu, said the road map towards achieving a 50 ppm in the country by 2020 was an important factor in the government’s effort towards improving air quality and environment.
The two-day workshop, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP), is meant to provide technical support for Ghana and other countries in the subregion to take steps to produce and import diesel that meets acceptable sulphur content.
“It will ensure the protection of public health through a reduction in the emission of black smoke, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons and other green-house gases from vehicle exhaust tailpipes,” he stated.
The deputy minister observed that apart from the environmental and health benefits of a diesel with lower sulphur content, it would also help the country take advantage of the latest technological breakthrough in automobile diesel engines.
According to experts, when the fuel is burned, the sulphur is released into the atmosphere as sulphur dioxide and other compounds that are major contributors to respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma.
Research Report
The decision to review the country’s high sulphur content in diesel followed the release of the report of a study conducted in Ghana and seven other African countries by a SWISS non-governmental organisation, Public Eye, which revealed that the sulphur content of diesel products imported into the relevant countries are 150 times, and, in some cases 1,000 times more than the limits allowed in Europe.
Although the quality of the fuels imported into Ghana meets the country’s quality standards, the products are said to pose a great risk to the health of consumers and easily damage the engines of vehicles.
low sulphur project 1 11 16West Africa efforts
The Chief Executive of the NPA, Mr Moses Asaga, stated that the road map was part of efforts to assist ECOWAS member states to reduce the sulphur levels in their fuels to 50 ppm by 2020.
He said the authority had through concerted efforts over the years rolled out innovative strategies “aimed at improving upon the quality of standard of fuel to ensure that the fuel supplied at final dispensing outlets is of the right specification.”
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Mahama Ayariga, expressed the view that if the health and environmental hazards that came with the emissions were not controlled, it could affect the country’s attainment of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The Head of the ECOWAS Environmental Division, Mr Yao Bernard Koffi, acknowledged the challenges the subregion faced with producing and importing cleaner fuels due to the lack of fuel specifications to meet evolving improvements in engine technology that supported reduction in vehicle pollutant emissions.
He, therefore, made a case for harmonising fuel standards, as well as emission standards, across the subregion.
Credit: Daily Graphic
