The Chamber of LPG Marketing Companies (COMAC) has issued a stern warning to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and government officials, stating it may suspend Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) deliveries from the Atuabo plant unless an urgent price gap is addressed.
The chamber is demanding immediate intervention to resolve a nearly GH¢1.00 per kilogram price difference between Atuabo-based supplies and those from Tema-based suppliers.
In a formal petition directed to the NPA, the Chief Executive Officer of COMAC, Dr. Riverson Oppong, revealed that Sage Petroleum in Atuabo is currently retailing LPG at GH¢12.65/kg. This figure stands in sharp contrast to Tema-based competitors such as Alpha, Matrix, and FuelTrade, all of whom are selling at approximately GH¢11.65/kg to GH¢11.66/kg.
Dr. Oppong described the price gap as a “structural disadvantage” that is rapidly eroding the business viability of marketers operating within the Atuabo zone.
“This is not a marginal difference,” the letter stated. “Continuing to absorb these losses is no longer sustainable. Trucks may be grounded, and deliveries suspended after the holiday period if no action is taken.”
Proposed solutions
To avert a potential shortage and protect the interests of marketing companies, COMAC has proposed two primary paths forward for the regulator:
Price Alignment: Direct Sage Petroleum to align its pricing with the rates offered by Tema-based suppliers to ensure a level playing field.
Zonal Flexibility: Should Sage Petroleum refuse to adjust its prices, COMAC requests that the NPA lift current “zonalization” restrictions. This would allow marketers within the Atuabo zone to bypass local supply and load cheaper LPG from Tema.
Regulatory pressure
The petition emphasizes that immediate regulatory action is required to maintain market fairness and preserve the integrity of the national LPG supply chain. COMAC argues that the current system unfairly burdens Atuabo-zone marketers, who are forced to buy at higher rates while trying to remain competitive at the pumps.
The letter was also copied to the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, Ghana National Gas Company Limited, and the leadership of various Oil and LPG Marketing Companies.
As of early April, the NPA has yet to issue a definitive response, leaving the Atuabo LPG market in a state of uncertainty as the holiday period concluded.
