Fisheries Minister Cracks Down: No Premix Fuel Above GH¢180, Warns Committees

Fisheries Minister Emelia Arthur has dropped a hammer on Landing Beach Committees selling premix fuel above the approved price. In a public address on Thursday, she ordered that the yellow “Kufour gallon” must not go for more than GH¢180. Anyone who flouts this directive will face sanctions.

The government subsidises premix fuel to help artisanal fishermen. The National Petroleum Authority sets the price every two weeks. Right now, a gallon should sell at GH¢176.40. Arthur said committees can round it up to GH¢180 for convenience. But anything above that is a no-go.

“Landing beach committees should not sell premix, the yellow Kufour gallon, beyond GH¢180. There will be consequences for failure to comply with this directive.”

Fish is a big deal in Ghana. It supplies about 60 per cent of the animal protein the country eats. That’s why the government subsidises premix fuel — to keep fishing affordable and protect coastal livelihoods.

The minister also tackled another headache: fuel theft and dodgy deliveries. When a tanker arrives, it’s supposed to carry 13,500 litres. If it doesn’t, committees must not sign the waybill. Arthur made that clear.

“When the premix fuel arrives, a tanker is supposed to deliver 13,500 litres. If it is not 13,500 litres, the landing beach committees should not sign the waybill.”

Then she dropped the money bomb. Out of the surplus from one tanker, 53 per cent goes to the Community Development Fund, and 47 per cent stays with the Landing Beach Committee. But here’s the kicker: the community portion must never be less than GH¢5,000 per tanker.

“There should not be an instance that you have less than GH¢5,000 as the community development portion from one tanker delivery.”

Arthur called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, MPs, chief fishermen, and traditional leaders to monitor how those funds are spent. No more hiding.

The directive is part of a wider cleanup. The government has been recovering unaccounted premix funds and restructuring Landing Beach Committees to improve transparency. The National Premix Fuel Secretariat, led by Administrator Ebow Mensah, is leading the reforms. Mensah backed the minister’s call, saying his outfit will keep pushing for better management.

The premix system is governed by the National Premix Fuel Committee Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2233). It sets out how subsidised fuel gets to artisanal fishermen and how proceeds should be shared. But for years, reports of diversion, price manipulation, and misuse of community funds have dogged the system.

Arthur warned that anyone caught diverting fuel, hoarding it, or inflating prices risks prosecution. No more slaps on the wrist.