The Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), Dr Riverson Oppong, says the next fuel pricing window could mark a defining moment for Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday, Dr Oppong said the pricing window beginning March 16 will reveal what he described as the true dynamics of fuel marketing in the country.

“And let me say this, the next window will be very interesting. Look forward to that next window from the 16th of March, Ghana will know what, what, what real marketing is in terms of the oil industry or downstream is concerned.”

His remarks come as the National Petroleum Authority prepares to enforce revised Petroleum Pricing Guidelines that will end the practice of selective fuel discounts by Oil Marketing Companies and LPG Marketing Companies.

Under the new directive, which takes effect from March 16, all OMCs and LPGMCs must maintain uniform prices across their retail outlets. The price displayed at the pump must be the same price submitted to the regulator.

The policy effectively ends a pricing strategy that allowed companies to offer discounts at some retail outlets while maintaining higher prices at others.

The regulator has explained that the move is aimed at strengthening transparency and compliance within the petroleum downstream sector.

But Dr Oppong argued that the public discussion has not properly captured what the regulator is actually doing.

“Indeed, when I hear that NPA has scrapped discounting, I find that a bit alarming. NPA has not scrapped. They have rectified an error which I believe is long overdue to be corrected.”

According to him, the narrative that discounting has been scrapped oversimplifies the issue and distracts attention from other critical developments in the sector.

“I don’t think that when NPA introduced this discounting regime, it gained that popular stance as scraping it has done the whole country is talking about the discount scrapped amidst a more important issue with price hike.”

He suggested that the focus on the discount policy risks overshadowing broader concerns about potential price movements in the market.

His comments drew a response from the host, who suggested his warning about the upcoming pricing window sounded pessimistic for consumers.

But Dr Oppong rejected that characterisation.

“Why? I think everybody who knows me knows that I’m very optimistic and factual.”