The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has disclosed that the Chief Justice has designated the Achimota Court to handle cases involving the diversion of petroleum products.
Appearing before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing on Thursday, October 15, Mr Tamakloe said the NPA had engaged the Chief Justice to secure a specialised court to deal with offences involving petroleum service providers.
He said the move followed audit findings and other concerns within the petroleum industry, which required stronger enforcement measures.
“A person who diverts petroleum products commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not less than 2,500 penalty units and not more than 5,000 penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment not less than two years or five years or both.
So one of the things that we have done is to reach out to the Chief Justice for a specialised court to deal with such recalcitrant that is petroleum service providers.
“Based on the audit findings and others too, I had to personally go with my team to go and meet the Chief Justice, ask the judiciary to basically give us a court that can deal with industry-specific,” he said.
The NPA CEO said the Authority is committed to pursuing offenders and recovering revenues due it.
Asked whether the Authority actively pursued such cases, he responded in the affirmative, stressing that “there was a sanctioning mechanism to ensure compliance.”
“So I need that money, and I follow it religiously,” he said.