The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) has refuted claims of importing manganese-laden fuel under the government’s Gold-for-Oil policy.

Recent reports have suggested that the importation of manganese-laden gasoline into the market under the Gold-for-Oil policy is responsible for the under-performance of vehicles.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, November 27, BOST categorically denied claims that the Gold-for-Oil policy is not the cause of high manganese level in fuel in the country.

“We wish to state unequivocally that we have not imported any product under the policy which is off the specifications per the regulations of the National Petroleum Authority and the product specifications of the Ghana Standards Authority."

“We, therefore, implore the public to disregard the claims of our detractors regarding the importation of manganese-laden fuel.”

BOST indicated that it has imported 23 cargoes under the policy, and none has failed the quality test as carried out by the Ghana Standards Authority. It called on the public to allow the regulatory authority space to investigate the exact source of the said product.

“Grant the regulatory authority of the petroleum downstream the time and space to investigate the exact source of the said product and also to tighten the regime to clamp out the room for the importation of potentially problematic products onto the market,” the BOST statement added.