Fuel to go up 7%-13% from February — IES

Fuel prices are expected to go up by Wednesday, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has predicted.

According to IES, fuel prices will go up between seven per cent and 13 per cent with respect to petrol, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Petrol will therefore sell at about ¢15 per litre, whilst diesel will go for over ¢17 per litre.

According to the IES, the rise in domestic fuel prices, is due to the sharp depreciation of the cedi during the last two weeks and the rising international fuel prices as observed on the global S&P Platts platform.

The energy think tank noted that the increase in fuel prices would be occasioned in spite of government’s receipt of approximately 41,000 metric tonne of diesel under its “Gold for Oil” programme.

“On the basis of the rising international fuel prices as observed on the global S&P platform, linked with the local currency’s value decline against the greenback, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) estimates a 7 per cent to 13 per cent jump in the prices of Gasoline [petrol], Gasoil [diesel], and LPG over the next two weeks ending February 14, 2023”.

The rise in domestic fuel prices would be occasioned in spite of government’s receipt of approximately 41,000 metric tonne of Gasoil under its “Gold for Oil” programme, and that consumers must be prepared to buy for instance, a litre of Gasoline [petrol] for roughly ¢15 in the coming days”, it stated in a statement on an Accra FM Station sighted by the Graphic Business.

World oil market

On the World market the international crude oil benchmark Brent increased to about $86.14 per barrel on average terms from a previous average rate of $81.72 per barrel.

This represented a 5.41 per cent increase in average price over the last two weeks.

Following an initial steady grind upwards to $88.16 per barrel at close January 23, Brent crude oil price settled lower on Friday January 26, 2023, making the commodity’s weekly finish flat to lower.

Brent closed Friday’s trading at $86.66 after closing the day before at $87.28 per barrel, up from the year’s low of $72.50.

Local fuel market pricing

The second pricing-window for January 2023 saw price increases for petroleum products on the domestic market.

Prices increased by some  nine per cent and 6.67 per cent for petrol and diesel respectively.

Petrol per litre increased to ¢13.58, from ¢12.54, and diesel from ¢14.40 to ¢15.36.The national average price of LPG was also pegged at ¢12.69 per kilogramme.