Government has directed the Tema Oil Refinery to change the colour of the pre-mix fuel. Deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the move is to check smuggling. He said the change from the current yellowish colour to blue would help prevent smugglers from diverting the heavily-subsidised commodity for other uses than for fishing boats and canoes. The directive follows wide media reports of acute shortage of premix, a situation government blames on smuggling. Mr Ablakwa also said TOR would not load any tanker unless it is branded for PREMIX loading, while tracking devices would also be procured to help monitor the distribution of the product. He expressed hope the new measures would help stabilize supply and sanitize the industry since the shortage was caused by diversion of the product by suppliers and agents for other use. Premix fuel has been in short supply months now, and calls for streamlining supply have assumed a higher scale in recent times. Government has received a backlash from pressure group Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) for failing to ensure constant supply of the commodity to the fishing community. The group during a demonstration on Tuesday mounted a huge canoe on a vehicle to highlight the problem. They said government has been slow to act. Some fishermen in an earlier interview with Joy News also lamented the situation which they said was affecting their businesses substantially. Listen to excerpts of the submission of Deputy Information Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana