National Petroleum Authority, Ghana

Very soon all Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) hoping to cart petroleum products from the Tema Oil refinery or any bulk loading depots must pass stringent tests before they can receive products. This is a latest move by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to raise the bar for its main stakeholders in the petroleum downstream sector-the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and transporters. The move comes in the wake of reported cases of accidents involving Bulk Road Vehicles (BRVs) otherwise known as ‘tankers’. Recent checks by NPA have shown that some of these BRVs plying the roads are not road worthy and because of the hazardous nature of the products they carry, their continuous usage of the road pose danger to motorists and the environment. All BRVs would soon have to pass all tests and display their certification stickers from the NPA before they shall be recognized as road worthy. These stringent tests will include vehicle testing by certified vehicle testing firms, the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA). The stickers are specially designed and security enhanced and must be reviewed periodically and be displayed on the vehicles at all times. The Tema Oil Refinery-TOR and other bulk loading depots have been put on high alert to insist on these stickers from NPA before they supply products to any BRV.
In order to ensure better appreciation of the issues, the National Petroleum Authority-NPA organized a one-day seminar for all stakeholders in the industry to brief them on the new standard measures and also ensure that the new system takes off smoothly. Present at the seminar were union leaders of the transporters (BRVs), operations Mangers of Oil Marketing Companies and Calibration Companies. There were presentations by officials of Road Safety Limited (RSL) on procedures for inspections of BRVs by safety inspection companies which would lead to the granting of certificate and stickers. Officials of NPA also so took turns to educate transporters on the requirements for obtaining a BRV license and the new standard. With regards to the allowable age for BRVs, the NPA is proposing a maximum allowable age of 10years since these vehicles carry highly inflammable products. However, the transporters are divided over the proposal by the NPA and suggest the Authority differentiate between BRVs that ply long trips as opposed to those who service OMCs in Accra.
However, the NPA has outlined a comprehensive timetable to phase out old BRVs year by year leading to full compliance. The seminar also discussed the reintroduction of flow metres following growing concerns by the union of transporters who are surcharged by some OMCs for recording shortages in the delivery of products. OMCs were encouraged to invest in modern equipments in monitoring and measurement to ensure that such inaccuracies are eliminated. The Director of Technical Division of the NPA, Mr. Isaac Tagoe was grateful for the cooperation displayed by all stakeholders in promoting standards, professionalism and ensuring safety to promote compliance in the sector.
19-10-09