The Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) has issued a 14-day deadline to the Ministry of Finance to suspend the implementation of Section 136 of the Customs Act, 2026 (Act 1179), warning that the new petroleum tax collection arrangement could expose the downstream sector to significant operational and financial risks.
COMAC said it had placed its members on alert and would convene an emergency general meeting if the Ministry failed to suspend the provision within the stated period.
The meeting, according to the Chamber, would determine the industry’s next course of action through administrative, regulatory and legal channels.
Section 136 changes the point at which downstream petroleum taxes are accounted for, shifting the responsibility from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and LPG Marketing Companies (LPGMCs) to Bulk Import, Distribution and Export Companies (BIDECs).
Under the new arrangement, taxes would be accounted for at the point of sale, while the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority could defer payment for up to 21 days subject to a bank guarantee.
COMAC argues that the arrangement effectively transfers enforcement and financial risks to bulk suppliers and could create a concentration of risk within the petroleum supply chain.
The Chamber warned that action against a single BIDEC could potentially affect several OMCs and retail outlets that depend on that supplier, creating what it described as a possible single point of failure.
It also raised concerns about what it considers inconsistencies between Section 126(6) and Section 136 regarding when tax obligations on petroleum consignments arise.
According to COMAC, the industry was not adequately consulted before the provision was enacted, while no published impact assessment or evidence-based modelling has been provided on its possible effects on working capital, access to credit, fuel supply security and pump prices.
The Chamber is therefore proposing that the existing tax collection framework be maintained while the concerns are addressed.
Under its preferred arrangement, BIDECs would continue paying import duties and port charges when petroleum products enter the country, while OMCs and LPGMCs would account for applicable taxes and levies at the ex-pump stage.
COMAC is also demanding greater transparency over credit-limit overrides within the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) and an independent review of non-bonded status granted to certain operators.
The Chamber wants the authorities to formally respond to its analysis of industry data, which it says identified an estimated 819.25 million litres of unaccounted-for petroleum products in 2025, with an estimated revenue implication of about GH¢2.5 billion.
It is also seeking information on 10 diesel tankers it says were impounded in October 2025.
COMAC maintains that the accumulation of tax arrears is primarily an enforcement issue and argues that changing the point at which taxes are collected would not, on its own, address weaknesses in the existing system.
The Chamber stressed that it does not intend to disrupt petroleum supplies, given the essential role of its members in serving households and businesses.
It nevertheless said its members needed clarity and confidence in the tax framework before the new arrangement was implemented, particularly where the industry believes enforcement risks could ultimately be passed on to consumers.
