The Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) has condemned the infiltration of foreigners into the petroleum haulage sector, describing it as a deleterious act with the potential to rape the resources and render the country barren.
“We, AOMCs, would like to register our protest, consternation, and indignation that such awful thought, despicable and dastardly act with impugn treachery, is allowed to ferment in this era, rumination of the pangs of retrogression,” Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Duah, AOMC Industry Coordinator, stated.
Mr. Agyemang-Duah, who was reacting to the influx of Chinese companies in the haulage of petroleum products in the country, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Tema that “we are equally incensed and horrified that this should be allowed to fester on at this time of our nation’s development with the full glare of our leaders”.
Mr. Agyemang-Duah, who is also the AOMC Chief Executive Officer, called on the regulator, the National Petroleum Authority, to make it clear and unambiguous that transportation of petroleum products can only be done by 100 percent Ghanaian-owned businesses.
“We would also like to understand how, when, and by whose authority these trucks were allowed into the country. Did they enjoy tax breaks? If that is the case, it will also be unfair on existing transporters who must pay fully,” Mr. Agyemang-Duah stated.
He noted, “As an association, we remain committed to the development and growth of the downstream petroleum sector, and we will painstakingly and consciously protect the gains of the industry.
“We will not, by any shape, thought, design, orchestrations, machinations, or manoeuvring by forces within or without the country, persuade us to relinquish our sovereignty to a pseudo or masquerading investor.
“With the abhorrence, vigilance, and support of well-meaning Ghanaians, we shall succeed.”
He said in a globalised world, attracting foreign investment has become a crucial aspect of economic development; however, it is equally important to protect local interests in certain sectors of the economy by objectively striking a balance between attracting foreign investment and safeguarding local interests, especially in the petroleum downstream sector.
Mr. Agyemang-Duah said as a country with a burgeoning industry, the association recognised the importance of foreign investments in Ghana’s economic growth and development, which was evidenced in the construction of a Chinese-owned Sentuo refinery, a testament to the country’s attractiveness as an investment destination.
The AOMC Industry Coordinator stressed that Ghana’s petroleum haulage business was driven by local entrepreneurs, who have invested substantial resources, time, and effort to establish and maintain their businesses.
He noted that through their own efforts amidst the ever-increasing interest rates on credit facilities, they have played a vital role in the country’s economic development, providing employment opportunities, and contributing to the overall growth of the nation.
“It is a sad tale to observe, with utmost disdain, the operationalization of foreign trucks, allegedly sanctioned by the Sentuo refinery, which, for all intents and purposes, threaten to unfairly undermine and see to the eventual extinct of the local haulage industry, which has been the backbone of the petroleum downstream sector for years,” he noted.
