A delegation from Tanzania recently visited Ghana to study the operations of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in the petroleum downstream sector.

During their five-day visit, officials from the Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and the fuel agency focused on understanding NPA's effective regulation and administration of the petroleum downstream, which they found to be convenient, cost-effective, and worthy of emulation.

The delegation was in Ghana from Monday, March 18, 2024, to Friday, March 22, 2024, and was received by the Chief Executive of the NPA, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, at an opening session held on Monday at the NPA. Also present were the Deputy Chief Executive, Perry Okudzeto, Directors, Heads of Department, and some staff of the Authority.

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Abdul-Hamid expressed excitement about hosting the delegation and assured them that the NPA was ready to share its experience, particularly regarding the administration of the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), which was a key area of interest for the Tanzanians.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid also mentioned that the Authority had made thorough preparations to ensure that the delegation's five-day visit, including the scheduled field tours, would be fruitful.

Mr. Msafiri Mtepe, the Head of the delegation from the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority in Tanzania, commended the NPA for the warm reception and expressed optimism about the learning experience they would gain from studying the Ghanaian model of petroleum regulation. He noted that Ghana's approach has become a model for many countries in Africa and beyond.

The primary objective of their study visit was to understand the successful implementation of Ghana’s Unified Petroleum Price Scheme and other pricing mechanisms. During their stay, they engaged in formal sessions with technical experts at the NPA, covering a wide range of topics related to Ghana’s petroleum value chain.

Presentations included discussions on Ghana’s pricing policy objectives, the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF), and the legal framework for petroleum regulation, among others.

The delegation also visited the Ministry of Energy, where they were briefed on Ghana’s petroleum downstream policies by the Chief Director, Mrs. Wilhelmina Asamoah, on behalf of the Minister of Energy.

Furthermore, the delegation went on field visits to the BOST terminals in Tema and Akosombo to observe practical operations and interact with key actors in Ghana’s petroleum downstream sector.