GOIL CEO warns Star Oil night fuel discount could violate pricing rules

Edward Bawa, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of GOIL Ghana, has clarified that his recent exchange with Philip Kwame Tieku over a proposal to offer discounted fuel rates at night was intended to protect the stability of Ghana’s petroleum sector.

The comments come after Mr. Tieku suggested on social media a plan to reduce fuel prices by GH¢9.50 per litre between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., aimed at boosting the night-time economy.

In response, Mr. Bawa cautioned that such a move could undermine the pricing framework set by the National Petroleum Authority, which maintains a minimum price floor of GH¢9.80 per litre.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Monday, March 16, Mr. Bawa explained that, while the idea might attract customer loyalty, it posed significant risks to the overall industry.

“The challenge I had with my brother was a healthy exchange, which I respect. Removing the floor would jeopardise the industry as a whole. Even bulk distribution companies have costs to cover—who accounts for those charges?” he asked.

He suggested that a better approach would be to maintain the price floor while exploring incentives within that framework.

“When you propose removing the floor, the least you could have done for the night economy is to equalise the floor,” he added.

Mr. Bawa also noted that GOIL Ghana was among the first to implement the approved price floor during the February 2026 pricing window, with StarOil Ghana following soon after.

“In all this, GOIL was the first to hit the floor. Our price floor was implemented in selected stations during the first window of February 2026, and StarOil followed shortly after,” he said.