The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has questioned the relevance of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) in Ghana's current petroleum market, calling for its commercialisation and possible listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange. According to ACEP, BOST currently collects a GHp 12 margin on every litre of petroleum sold to sustain its operations and maintain strategic fuel reserves.

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However, the energy think tank argues that the company has failed to fulfill this core mandate effectively. Kodzo Yaotse, Policy Lead for Petroleum and Conventional Energy at ACEP, emphasized the need for a fundamental restructuring of BOST’s operations during a press briefing on “Downstream Petroleum Products Taxation: A Call to Action” on January 15. “The market we operate in now shows that we do not need BOST.

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Or, if we are to keep BOST, we should commercialize it and list it on the stock exchange,” Yaotse stated. ACEP further criticized BOST for expanding beyond its primary role, now controlling approximately 20% of petroleum imports through the Gold for Oil programme.

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The think tank expressed concern that despite collecting close to GHȼ600 million annually from petroleum margins, BOST competes with private importers while avoiding the same tax obligations. “This will ensure transparency and accountability in BOST operations while reducing the burden on consumers. That’s another GHp 0.12 removed from payments,” Yaotse added.

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ACEP’s call for reform suggests a shift towards a more competitive and transparent petroleum sector, urging the government to reconsider BOST’s continued reliance on public funds for its operations.

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