Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has raised concerns about Ghana’s weak strategic fuel reserves, warning that the country is poorly prepared to deal with global supply disruptions.
Adomako-Mensah, speaking on Good Afternoon Ghana on Metro TV on Monday, March 2026, said recent tensions in the Middle East have exposed long-standing gaps in the country’s fuel storage system.
According to him, although authorities say Ghana currently has enough fuel for several weeks, most of the stock is not under government control.
“Yesterday, we had a discussion with NPA and they assured us that Ghana still has about seven weeks of fuel currently in the system,” he said.
“Currently, the seven weeks that we have, all the fuel belongs to private individuals, and that is where we have a challenge.”
Adomako-Mensah said the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) was originally established to serve as a national buffer in times of crisis, but that role has weakened over the years.
“BOST was set up originally to be a strategic asset of storage of fuel, so that in times like this, we could fall on them,” he stated.
He explained that without a strong government-controlled reserve, Ghana remains vulnerable to sudden price hikes and supply shortages whenever there is instability on the global market.
“That is where the challenge is now,” he added.
The Afigya Kwabre North MP called for a review of government policy to restore BOST’s core mandate as a strategic reserve.
“I think situations like this should inform governments to have a policy redirection, so that BOST can refocus their attention on their primary duty of being a strategic reserve for governments,” he said.
He argued that strengthening national reserves would help cushion consumers against frequent fuel price increases.
Adomako-Mensah warned that ongoing tensions involving Iran and Israel, as well as instability in Iraq, could push crude oil prices higher.
“That area controls about 30 percent or so of the entire production of oil, which is quite significant,” he said, referring to Iraq.
He noted that analysts are predicting crude prices could rise to between $90 and $100 per barrel, a development that could quickly affect fuel prices in Ghana.
“When that happens… obviously, we should expect an increment,” he said.
The Afigya Kwabre North MP said weak reserves and rising global prices would ultimately affect ordinary Ghanaians through higher transport fares and increased cost of living.
“The immediate effect is that we should expect increments in fuel prices during the next window,” he warned.
He urged government to take long-term steps to strengthen fuel security, stressing that relying mainly on private stockholders leaves the country exposed during international crises.
“We are praying that the escalation does not continue,” he said, adding that building strong strategic reserves remains key to protecting consumers in difficult times.
