In a major push to eliminate substandard materials from Ghana’s infrastructure projects, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has established a high-level technical committee to spearhead the regulation of bitumen production and supply.
The 16-member team is tasked with drafting a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern the quality, importation, and distribution of bitumen, closing a long-standing gap in the monitoring of products critical to the nation’s road construction sector.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Mr. Godwin Kudzo Tameklo (Esq.), underscored the critical need for a regulatory backbone in the sector. He noted that despite the bitumen industry’s long-standing, vital role in the development and maintenance of Ghana’s road infrastructure, there has been a glaring absence of a dedicated framework governing key activities such as importation, storage, transportation, distribution, and quality assurance.
“The road sector is a huge consumer of bitumen, and the concern is coming primarily from that sector as to the quality of the product that is available,” Mr. Tameklo explained. “As long as it is a by-product from the refinery, then it comes directly under NPA, and we have the responsibility to ensure that the bitumen that comes into the country meets the required standards.”
The Technical Committee is heavily representative of cross-sector experts, drawing key stakeholders together to build a unified system. It is chaired by Mr. Abass Tasunti, Director of Economic Regulation and Planning (ER&P) at the NPA, with Ms. Bridgette A. Turkson, Acting Director of the Licensing Directorate, serving as Co-Chair.
Other members include experts from the NPA’s Quality Assurance, Licensing, Inspections Monitoring, and Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Directorates. To ensure a collaborative approach, the committee also incorporates representatives from the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), and the Ministry of Roads and Highways.
Mr. Tameklo urged the committee members to work with dedication, emphasizing that the project is in the interest of the country’s national development. “This is a very critical committee, and I want all of you to do your best—no compromises. Let’s do it for Ghana,” the CEO added.
Expressing confidence in the team’s ability to execute its mandate, the Committee Chairman, Mr. Abass Tasunti, urged all representatives to actively participate.
“Bitumen is a critical product in the country; almost all our roads are constructed with it, so it is important that we pay attention to it,” Mr. Tasunti stated. “As a regulator, any product that comes out of petroleum products, including bitumen, the NPA must have an oversight role over it. The diversity of this committee is to ensure that the best is given so we can develop a feasible framework that meets international standards.”
The establishment of this framework marks a major milestone in the NPA’s broader efforts to improve quality assurance, combat substandard product delivery, and provide regulatory clarity for businesses, investors, and state agencies operating within Ghana’s petroleum downstream and infrastructure sectors.
