Ghanaian Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Wednesday launched the National Retail Outlet Fuel Monitoring System to sanitise the supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country.
The system, also known as an Automatic Track Gauging and Forecourt Transaction Control System, was an initiative of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), to help improve efficiency and profitability in the Petroleum Downtown Sector.
Business Hilights Ghana Bureau Chief reports that the new system is designed to among other things, block revenue leakages in the Petroleum Downtown Sector as the state lost an estimated amount of GHc4.7 billion in tax revenue between 2015 and 2019 in the petroleum distribution value chain.
The system uses 3D Calibex Device to monitor fuel stock, aid in reading fuel tank levels and monitor sales data 24/7 at the fuel retail outlets.
Vice President Bawumia, who was the Special Guest at the unveiling of the Fuel Monitoring System, in Accra, lauded the board, management and staff of the NPA for leveraging on technology to bring efficiency in the distribution of petroleum products.
The event brought together key stakeholders in the petroleum downstream sector including; the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, captains of industry and Members of Parliament.
Vice President Bawumia stated that government in 2018 started digitisation of pre-mix fuel distribution for fisher folks and charged the NPA and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to complete the digitisation process this year, in order to halt the illicit activities in the sector.
He expressed optimism that the fuel monitoring system would be extended to the landing beaches to help in managing government’s subsidy on premix fuel distribution.
He further recalled that in January, last year, also launched the Electronic Control Cargo Tracking System to track and halt illicit activities in the distribution of petroleum products by oil tankers.
“The Government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is resolved to digitize this economy to ensure effective revenue accountability and will fully support any state agency and initiative that will push forward the agenda for digitization,” he said.
Dr Bawumia outlined some policy directives to help address illicit activities in the petroleum downstream sector.
