The Crime Scene Management Team (CSMT)of the Ashanti Regional Police Command yesterday stormed the Bulk Oil and Transportation Storage (BOST) Company Limited depot here in Kumasi over an alleged adulteration of fuel, petrol in particular, by some tanker drivers.
The six member team acting on tip-off arrived at the depot unexpected and arrested one of the tanker drivers with about 15 other drivers taking to their heels on seeing the police.
It was not very clear why the drivers were engaged in adulterating the fuel but it is believed, probably with the intention of gaining undue financial benefits, stimulated by the high fuel price.
The development comes in the wake of a recent missing fuel scandal at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) which has triggered calls for a full-scale inquiry into the scandal”
The call was also after TOR publicized the interdiction of some of its staff pending the conclusion of investigations into the disappearance of fuel, product storage, and transfer losses at the refinery.
When the Ghanaians Times visited the BOST office, the management declined to comment on the issue saying that the head office in Accra should speak on the matter
Similarly, the police decline comments and directed the Ghanaian Times to contact the Public Affairs Unit Head of the Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Godwin Ahianyo who said he was on leave.
Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Felix Kwasi Cosmos, Ashanti Regional Crime Officer, said he was aware of an exercise at the BOST but he was yet to be briefed.
The Ghanaian Times gathered that the drivers were said to have loaded the fuel from the TOR but would manage to adulterate the substance on arrival at the BOST depot.
It was observed that the police had taken several samples from the tankers for forensic analysis to verify what substances were being used to adulterate the fuel/petrol by the drivers.
Adulteration of fuel is defined as the introduction of foreign substance into fuel illegally or unauthorized with the result that the product does not conform to the requirements and specifications of the product.
Fuel adulteration, according to some experts, causes irreparable damage to engines, such as sudden failure, difficulty in starting, increased fuel consumption, low fuel spraying rate in the combustion chamber among others.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
