The Energy Commission, the regulatory body of the energy sector would this week embark on a nation-wide inspection of petroleum retail outlets. The exercise, which is on a pilot basis, would begin in the Greater Accra Region from the 18th of this month. Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Friday, the Chief Petroleum Officer of the Commission, Mr. Isaac Tagoe said the inspection falls under the Monitoring Enforcement Roles which is spelt out in section two (2) (I) of the Energy Commission Act.

He said the exercise would involve the physical inspection of some 1,200 petroleum retail outlets to determine the extent to which malpractices in the industry such as adulteration, cheating at forecourts and smuggling of products into neighbouring countries have impacted on the petroleum industry and on the Ghanaian economy. Also, the aim is to enable the Energy Commission to institute effective measures to address such unacceptable practices and conduct.

The Chief Petroleum Officer said at the end of the inspection a register would be produced for all licensed retail outlets, adding that defaulters of the Commission's Rules and Regulations would be prosecuted, suspended or be given time to upgrade their facilities to a suitable standard.

Mr. Tagoe said the inspection team would be looking for EPA (Environmenta Pritecion Agency) environmental permit or certificate, Energy Commission construction permit and licence, Ghana Standards Board (GSB) certificate on dispensing pumps as well as details of underground storage tanks (USTs).

Answering questions on energy, he said currently Ghana consumes 48,000 tonnes of LPG gas against 23,000 tonnes of LPG stored at the Bulk Oil Storage Transportation (BOST). He said by the end of this month when the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) would be completed Ghana would be able to store about 120, 000 tonnes of LPG.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Kofi Asante said very soon the Commission would develop a Strategic National Energy Plan and Policies to guide the development, management and utilization of the energy resources in the country.

He bemoaned the fact that renewable energy sources in the country are left to lie fallow without utilizing them; for instance sun energy. Mr. Asante emphasized that if stringent measures are not taken to curb the use of wood fuel within the next few years the forests would be depleted. He said that about 70% of the country depends on fuel wood for cooking and other domestic chores.

Mr. Asante said the technical wing of the Ministry of Energy has been absorbed by the Energy Commission to make it vibrant.