BOST to export petroleum products – MD
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited is to export petroleum products to neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.
The Managing Director (MD) of the Company, Mr Kingsley Kwame Awuah, who disclosed this during the re-commissioning of the Bolgatanga Fuel Storage and Distribution Depot on Monday, said that BOST had retooled the facility which was abandoned some years ago, to serve the Region and the neighbouring countries.
The MD said that would not only rake in more revenue for the country, but would also help open up the pace of the trans ECOWAS business between Ghana and the neighbouring countries and help generate employment for Ghanaians particularly people from the Upper East Region.
Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between BOST and SONABHY Company of Burkina Faso, the MD stated that his outfit had begun talks with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to obtain permit to begin the process of exporting the commodity to the neighbouring countries.
The Company would begin exporting the commodity from the BOST facility in Bolgatanga whilst plans would be made to pump the product through underground from the BOST facility at Buipe to Burkina Faso in years to come, the MD said.
He said the process would also help decongest and save the road which is often used by tanker drivers of the neighbouring countries, from deteriorating fast
He indicated that the Company had the full capacity to supply the region and the neighbouring countries and further explained that with the deregulation of petroleum products in Ghana, it would not have any negative effect on the economy but rather help improve upon the economy.
Mr Mark Woyongo, the Minister of Interior who represented the Energy and Petroleum Minister, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, impressed upon the Company to ensure that it employed many of the people in the Region to help stem out the tide of rural urban migration.
The Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Daniel Syme, who commended BOST for establishing the facility in the Region, noted that it would not only help reduce the drudgery tanker drivers go through by travelling to Tema and Buipe to get the products to the Region, but would help ensure fuel supply security in the region.
He gave the assurance that the Regional Coordinating Council would provide the necessary security to ensure that the Company achieved its vision of supplying petroleum products to Ghana and the neighbouring countries.
The Bolgatanga Fuel Storage and Distribution Depot which was constructed by the Government had been abandoned for the past nine years until BOST took over and rehabilitated it for operation.
Source: GNA