Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers of Ghana, Amoah Duncan, is asking the regulators of Ghana’s fuel imports to bow their heads in shame.

A comprehensive report by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy, ACEP, has revealed that about 50% of imported petroleum products contain dangerous Sulphur chemicals.

Health experts say although this is within the limits set by government, the sulphur contained in the fumes from the diesel fuel could increase respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis.

According to the BBC, three of the distribution companies involved say they meet the regulatory requirements of the market and have no vested interest in keeping sulphur levels higher than they need to be.

Reacting to this on 3FM’s Sunrise Morning Show, Amoah Duncan insisted, “those who set those standards must not only bow their heads in shame…they must also answer to Ghanaians how and why at this point when countries like Kenya, are able to move very close to acceptable limits we continue to glorify such ineptitudes as going to ask for three thousand ppm while others are doing ten ppm.”

Mr. Amoah Duncan noted that if you crosscheck the global petrol pricing index, some countries “like the US at the moment are able to do 0.65, 0.62 for a liter of petrol or diesel, Canada will do about 0.75, some countries in the EU will do about 0.81, 0.84, Ghana is dispensing products at 0.92cents per liter”.

He adds that “clearly, we are even paying much higher. Unfortunately, we are also getting the lowest grade possible so you will ask again if we ourselves will go and ask for these products, forgive the language, then indeed, what does it make us?”

By Shirley Ewurama Smith/3News/3FM