GOIL suspends itself from AOMC following allegations of government interference
Following some accusations that their recent fuel price reduction was due to influence from the government, the State-owned Ghana Oil Company has decided to suspend its membership to the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC’s) immediately.
The government allegedly ordered Goil to reduce its prices during the government’s negotiations with drivers unions over their industrial action in a bid to put pressure on other Oil Marketing Companies to also reduce their prices to cushion drivers.
GOIL heeded the government’s plea and reduced its prices to GHp15 per litre at the pumps.
Later the AOMC wrote to the Energy Minister Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh calling on the government to provide clear price deregulation as being done by OMCs.
Owing to the raised by the AOMC, GOIL responded on Wednesday, December 8 2021, announcing its innocence from the allegations.
“GOIL wants to state categorically that at no point did the government ‘direct’ the company to reduce its fuel prices as being alleged and circulated.
“GOIL is a listed company with a constituted Board of Directors and Management and takes decisions based on prudent commercial principles,” the statement signed by Managing Director Kwame Osei-Prempeh said.
It stressed that the recent reduction in prices at the pumps was due to the consideration of the welfare of the ordinary Ghanaian.
“Profit is therefore not the company’s prime motive, we also take cognisance of our corporate social responsibility to Ghanaians,” adding that the motive was “to cushion Ghanaians in the difficult post-Covid period”.
It, therefore, challenged AOMC to provide proof of its allegations.
“The allegation that government is interfering in the industry is unfounded and baseless. GOIL has the right as any other OMC to determine its prices.
“We at GOIL believe the association has shown gross disrespect to the company and treated it with contempt and public ridicule. GOIL has therefore decided to suspend its membership of the association immediately.”
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
