Accra, July 20 GNA - Oil Marketing Companies on Thursday increased prices of petroleum products by between 10 per cent and 20 per cent following approval given by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA). A visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to some of the fuel filling stations showed different prices in the ex-pump prices of petrol; diesel; kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) because of the deregulation of the sector.
At the Total filling station at Osu, a litre of petrol sells at 9,360 cedis; a litre of diesel is 8,511 cedis and litre of kerosene stands at 7,689 cedis. The previous prices for the same commodity were 8,509 cedis for petrol, 7,709 cedis for diesel and 6,418 for kerosene. At the Osu Castle Junction Mobil filling station, petrol is selling at 9,364 cedis per litre while diesel is at 8,511 cedis per litre. The old price per litre of petrol was 8,512 cedis while diesel stood at 7,709 cedis.
The Glory Oil filling station on the Osu-La Road was selling petrol at 9,359 cedis per litre; diesel at 8,506 per litre and kerosene at 7,684 per litre.
The La Shell filling station quoted a litre of petrol at 9,360 cedis and diesel at 8,511 cedis per litre.
At the Well LPG terminal behind the Ghana International Trade Fair, a 5kg bottle sells at 38,000 cedis, a 13 kg bottle is 99,000 cedis and a 14.5 kg bottle of gas sells at 110,200 cedis.
Mr Fred Dedie, an attendant of the LPG station, appealed to the Government to give different prices for domestic and commercial users since the increase was affecting households.
He said most domestic users were complaining bitterly and questioning why they had to pay the same amount of money with commercial drivers, who were using gas for business purposes.
At the Tema Station in Accra, some of the drivers have increased fares whiles others were maintaining the old charges.
Vehicles plying the Tema Station-New Town road are charging 2,600 cedis against the old fare of 2,300 cedis. Abelemkpe to Dzorwulu has a new fare of 3,500 cedis, up from 3,000 cedis.
Drivers at Kaneshie are charging the old fare. Mr Emmanuel Ankrah, GPRTU Secretary at the Kaneshie Station, said they had decided to maintain the old fares because of the competition posed by Metro Mass Transport.
"The patronage is very bad these days, therefore it would be unreasonable to increase the fare; the hike was not too much, we will manage it."
Some of the commuters GNA spoke to complained about the increases in prices of petroleum products.