Tanzanian Energy Regulators Understudy NPA’s Operations

A Tanzanian delegation was in the country to understudy the operations of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in the petroleum downstream sector.

The five-day visit by officials from the Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and the fuel agency was focused on NPA”s effective regulation and administration of the petroleum downstream, which according to them, proved to be convenient, cost-effective and worth emulating.

They were in Ghana from Monday, March 18, 2024, to Friday, March 22, 2024, and were received by the Chief Executive of the NPA, Dr.  Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, who welcomed them at an opening session held on Monday at the NPA.

In attendance were the Deputy Chief Executive, Perry Okudzeto, Directors, Heads of Department and some staff of the Authority.

In his welcome remarks, the Chief Executive expressed excitement to host the delegation and assured them that the NPA was more than willing and ready to share the NPA experience with them particularly in respect of how the Authority is administering the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), which is a key area of interest to the Tanzanians.

He added that the Authority had put everything in place to make their five-day visit including the scheduled field-tours, worthwhile.

On his part, Head of the delegation, Mr. Msafiri Mtepe of the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority, Tanzania, commended the Authority for the warm reception and expressed optimism that they would, indeed, have the best of learning experience on the Ghanaian model of petroleum regulation, which he said, has become the envy of many countries in Africa and beyond.

He stated that the primary objective of their study visit was to appreciate the successful implementation of Ghana’s Unified Petroleum Price Scheme and other pricing mechanisms instituted in Ghana.

In the course of their stay in Ghana and with the NPA, many formal engagements and sessions were held with technical persons at the Authority focusing on wide range of subjects on relevant aspects of Ghana’s petroleum value chain.

There were presentations on various subjects including Ghana’s pricing policy objectives, the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), legal framework for petroleum regulation among others.

The delegation, whilst in Ghana, visited the Ministry of Energy where they were taken through Ghana’s petroleum downstream policies.

They were received by the Chief Director, Mrs. Wilhelmina Asamoah, on behalf of the Minister of Energy.

The delegation also embarked on field visitations to the BOST terminals in Tema and Akosombo to acquaint themselves with some of the practical operations of NPA and other key actors in Ghana’s petroleum downstream.