The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) has announced revised ex-pump prices for premix fuel nationwide, warning Landing Beach Committees (LBCs), premix managers and oil marketing companies (OMCs) against price manipulation, under-delivery and diversion of the subsidised petroleum product.
Premix fuel, a subsidised fuel blend supplied to artisanal and semi-industrial fishers, remains the operational backbone of the country’s marine fishing sector, powering outboard motors used by thousands of canoe operators along the country’s coastline.
The downstream premix distribution chain has for decades been plagued by allegations of political interference, hoarding, illegal siphoning and black-market sales to commercial buyers outside the fisheries value chain.
Stakeholders within the sector have repeatedly raised concerns over weak accountability systems, opaque distribution practices and revenue leakages at several landing beaches.
Announcing new prices, Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister Emelia Arthur reiterated that premix fuel is strictly reserved for registered artisanal fishers and fisheries-related activities.
“The yellow Kufuor gallon must be sold at GHC176.40. Assuming there are challenges with getting change, landing beach committees may sell at GHC180, but under no circumstances should it go beyond GHC180. There will be consequences for failure to comply with this directive,” the Minister cautioned.
The “yellow Kufuor gallon” a locally referenced calibrated measuring container widely used in premix retail transactions at landing beaches has become the standard retail benchmark within the artisanal fisheries sector.
The Minister further directed Landing Beach Committees to intensify monitoring of fuel deliveries and reject any consignment that falls below the approved discharge quantity.
“When premix is delivered, a tanker is expected to discharge 13,500 litres. If the quantity discharged is below 13,500 litres, the Landing Beach Committee must not endorse the waybill indicating full delivery. The matter should immediately be reported to the Ministry for sanctions against the responsible Oil Marketing Company,” she stated.
Under the country’s premix administration framework, revenue generated from the sale of premix fuel is expected to support both operational activities and community development projects within fishing communities.
Providing a breakdown of the expected revenue structure, the Minister explained that proceeds from the sale of a full 13,500-litre consignment should generate approximately GHC84,500. After payment obligations to the supplying OMC, estimated at about GHC73,000 a surplus of roughly GHC11,000 is expected.
According to the approved sharing formula, 47 percent of the surplus is retained by Landing Beach Committees for operational management while 53 percent is earmarked for community development initiatives in fishing communities.
“There should never be a situation where less than GHC5,000 is realised as community development proceeds from a single 13,500-litre delivery,” Emelia Arthur stressed.
The Ministry maintains that ongoing reforms within the premix subsector are intended to restore confidence in the management system, ensure equitable access for genuine fishers and strengthen economic resilience in coastal fishing communities.
By Eric Yaw Adjei
