NPA: Regulator revokes licenses of 30 OMCs for non-compliance
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has revoked the licences of 30 Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the downstream petroleum regulator on the acquisition and maintenance of their licences.
Among the non-compliance to the rules and regulations of the downstream industry, is the non-payment of taxes to the tune of over GHS 400m.
In a statement on Thursday, January 12, 2023, the NPA stated “it will bear no liability for any loss or damages that may be suffered to any person who chooses to engage with the affected OMCs in whatever capacity”.
At an earlier meeting with the board members of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs), the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, cautioned that the Authority would not hesitate to revoke the licences of industry players who continually flout the rules.
He indicated that over the years, the NPA had been lenient with industry players who flout the rules, which had given opportunity for many more to flout the rules with impunity.
“We cannot all be in a conspiracy to run down our country and yet turn round to and blame the government for what goes wrong”, Dr. Abdul-Hamid was quoted as saying at the meeting with board members.
List of OMCs that have their licenses revoked
Gov’t owed GHS 400m in taxes by OMCs
Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country owe the government more than GHS 400 million, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has stated.
The debts, he said are in the form of taxes stressing it was rather unfortunate that “the OMCs don’t want to pay taxes.”
Dr Abdul-Hamid said this when he inaugurated the newly refurbished 60-seater capacity conference hall of the Bono Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Sunyani, funded by the NPA through the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility fund.
He said although God had blessed the country, the bad attitudes of many Ghanaians remained the bane of the socioeconomic development of the nation.
“Change of attitude is required if we can build our nation,” Dr Abdul-Hamid stated, saying “we all have no choice but to contribute as little as we can because individual commitment is needed towards the holistic development of the nation.”
