The Opposition New Patriotic Party has expressed worry over the shortage of petroleum products in the Capital. A statement signed by the head of Communications, Kweku Kwarteng said “Ghana is back to the days of long queues for petrol.” In a subsequent interview with Joy News’ Evans Mensah, Mr Kwarteng charged the Mills administration to “sit up and stop the negative trend.” Accra is hit by an acute petrol shortage, with long and winding queues at some filling stations as drivers, mostly commercial, struggle to fill their tanks for the day’s duty. Government sources as well spokespersons of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) have attributed the shortages to the shutdown of the Tema Oil Refinery and debts owed it by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). But Mr. Kwarteng insisted those explanations were flimsy. He did not agree to assertions that the NPP contributed to the shortage, saying whatever the problems were, the country did not experience fuel shortages in the eight year rule by the NPP. However, “long queues were very common before 2001,” he lamented. He advised government to cut back on what he said were frivolous and reckless investment in tea, and channel resources into ventures that would directly and positively affect the lives of the citizens. Meanwhile, Kweku Dua Agyemang, industry coordinator at TOR said the situation will ease Thursday evening. He disputed assertions that the shortage were due to debts owed by the OMCs, saying if 10 out 59 OMCs were cut out from the supply of oil due to their indebtedness, that should not affect the supply to consumers. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline