In response to persistent complaints from Ghanaian car users regarding malfunctions attributed to fuel purchased at various stations, the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has shed light on the situation during an interview on Joynews on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Abdul-Hamid explained that the Ghana Standards Authority, responsible for setting standards for all consumables, including petroleum products, has set the acceptable limit for manganese content in gasoline (petrol) in the country at 18 milligrams per liter.
"When it comes to standards for everything Ghana has an Authority called the Ghana Standards Authority that sets standards for every consumable including petroleum products, and petroleum products are made up of various chemical components; there is sulphur, there is lead, there is manganese, et cetera. So the parameter for acceptable maximum limit in our country for gasoline in particular is 18 milligrams per a litre. That is the maximum ceiling," he said.
He explained that petroleum products imported over the years have had low levels of manganese concentrate but in recent times, the trend has changed albeit within the standard set by the Ghana Standard Authority.
"Fortunately for us over the years all the petroleum products that have been coming have very low manganese levels of two litre, three litre; maximum has always been six. But recently we got a few cargoes whose levels went to about sixteen, sixteen was the maximum which is acceptable."
While emphasising the high level of manganese concentrate falling within the allowed limit, Dr Hamid noted that some car manufacturers including those impacted have their concentrate specified below the limit set by the Standards Authority.
"However, these days some turbocar engine manufacturers are beginning to require that fuel that is put in a particular vehicle should not exceed a certain manganese levels. Unfortunately for us we don’t read car manuals."
Dr Abdul-Hamid thus highlighted proactive steps taken by the NPA to address the issue.
"However, we have taken proactive steps to require Ghana Standards Authority to amend the upper limit and reduce it to six milligrams of manganese content per litre in the case of what they call Ron 91, that’s the normal petrol and two milligrams per litre in the case of what they call V Power," he said.
He however refuted claims that the high manganese concentrate fuel is a result of the government's barter Gold-for-Oil policy.
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Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid