The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) has issued a scathing statement condemning the continued disruption of Ghana’s Laycan import schedule and warning of its grave consequences on the petroleum sector and the broader economy.
In a strongly worded statement signed today Tuesday, June 24 by the Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Kwaku Ofori, the CBOD expressed deep disappointment with what it described as arbitrary and repeated violations of the agreed Laycan schedule, the framework that governs the timing and coordination of petroleum cargo arrivals and discharges at Ghana’s ports. The Chamber is calling on the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to intervene immediately to restore order and transparency to the system.
“We are disappointed over continued Laycan disruptions,” the CBOD said. “Urgent intervention is needed.”
According to the Chamber, the schedule, designed in consultation with industry stakeholders and managed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has been changed at least 11 times in just the first half of 2025. These constant, unilateral revisions, it says, have created logistical chaos, delayed vessel discharges by up to 30 days at a time, and imposed a heavy financial toll on Bulk Import, Distribution, and Export Companies (BIDECs), who have racked up over $40 million in demurrage and related costs between January and June.
Those costs, the Chamber revealed, are being passed on to consumers, contributing an additional GHS 0.47 to GHS 0.60 per litre to pump prices during the period.
Regulatory Breakdown and Breach of Presidential Order
The CBOD further warned that unauthorized vessel berthings are now being permitted outside the established Laycan protocol. One such instance involved the vessel MT Marlin Ametrine, which was recently allowed to berth in direct violation of the agreed schedule and a presidential directive issued after CBOD’s June 12 petition to the Presidency.
“This action is a serious affront to regulatory integrity and undermines the progress made in the industry in recent years,” the Chamber said.
According to CBOD, some of these disruptions are allegedly being driven by Nigerian traders displaced by operations at the Dangote Refinery, who are now attempting to gain access to Ghana’s market through politically connected intermediaries — a move the Chamber calls a threat to national fuel security.
Industry in Disarray, Consumers Paying the Price
The Chamber stressed that the disorderly conduct of the import schedule not only increases operational costs but also creates uncertainty, damages investor confidence, and puts the entire petroleum supply chain at risk.
“Each unauthorised berthing introduces logistical confusion, increases demurrage costs, and distorts fuel pricing,” the Chamber said, adding that consumers are unfairly bearing the consequences of regulatory lapses.
CBOD Demands Swift Action
In its statement, CBOD laid out a four-point demand to the Ministry of Energy and the NPA:
Immediate restriction of BIDECs without officially assigned Laycans, with full cost recovery from entities responsible for disruptions.
Mandatory prior consultation with the Laycan Review Committee before any changes to the schedule.
Transparent handling of emergency supply cases, with advance planning and stakeholder consensus.
Empowerment of CBOD to coordinate and submit Laycan schedules to the NPA to ensure compliance, equity, and transparency.
CBOD reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Ghana’s fuel security and urged government agencies to act decisively.
“We will not remain silent while regulatory systems are weakened and national interests disregarded,” the statement concluded.
As fuel prices remain a sensitive national issue, stakeholders across the petroleum sector and the general public will be closely watching the Ministry’s response to what could become a major credibility test for fuel import governance in Ghana.
Read full statement below:
