The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has launched a report published by its partner Public EYE, titled “Dirty Diesel”.
The report revealed how Swiss commodity trading firms, exploit tax regulatory standards to sell to African consumers, fuel with high sulfur content produced by the trading firms themselves.
The report indicated that these types of fuel have long been banned in Europe and contribute significantly to the rapidly rising air pollution in African cities and jeopardizing the health of millions of people.
In a petition addressed to Trafigura, Public Eye and its West African partners, was a call on the Geneva-based commodities giant only to sell fuel that meets European standard and all of its operations around the world.
Based on the three years research, the “Dirty Diesel” study highlighted for the first time, the pivotal role played by Swiss commodity trading companies in Africa’s fuel industry and revealed the scandalous business model behind a supply chain completely controlled by these companies in their multiple roles as producers, suppliers, and in some regions, operators of gas station networks.
In West Africa especially, Vitol, Trafigura and Addax & Oryx ruthlessly exploit weak regulatory standards and make the local urban populations pay with their health.
Public Eye researchers drew fuel at local pumps in eight countries. The result was shocking as the analysis revealed, the diesel samples contained up to 378 times more sulfur than is permitted in Europe.
Furthermore, other toxic substances, such as benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were also found in concentrations that have also been banned in Europe.
The 160-page report also showed that the trading companies, do not only ship dirty diesel and dirty gasoline but in some areas even sell it at their own pumps.
On land or at sea, they mix up a petrochemical cocktail from refinery products and other components known in the industry as “African Quality”. These toxic fuels are mainly mixed in the ARA-Zone (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) where Swiss trading firms have their own refineries and storage facilities.
It was also revealed that many West African countries that export high grade crude oil to Europe receive toxic low quality fuel in return.
According to the report, the producing and selling of such products is illegitimate and violates the African population’s right to health.
A recent UN study also revealed that the populations in the continent’s major urban centers. suffer from the most rapidly increasing levels of air pollution in the world.
The prestigious organization, ICCT(International Council on Clean Transportation), estimates that by 2030 Africa will have three times as many deaths from traffic-related particle dust than Europe, Japan, and the US combined. Respiratory illnesses are already a major health issue and diesel fumes can cause cancer.
The report again stated that to disarm the time bomb, the governments of the affected countries need to set and enforce stricter standards and the Swiss commodity companies too, must respect human rights wherever they do business and comply with the UN-Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights adopted in 2011.
In order to remind the commodity giant of its good intentions, Public Eye and its West African partner organizations will be shipping a container full of toxic air from Accra back to Geneva in by the end of September.
Although ACEP recognizes the important role oil traders play in the economies of African nations it is also the responsibility on the traders to be ethical and just to assess negative impact of their business.
In the words of the Deputy Executive Director of the Centre, Benjamin Boakye, “making profit is good but profit must also be made with the moral cap on”.
ACEP therefore appealed to suppliers to respect the right of citizens of Africa to good health and deliver the quality fuel which the same traders deliver to the European Market.
They also called on African governments, to immediately take steps to tighten regulations to stop commodity traders from trading the health of hard working citizens for profit.
ACEP indicated that the example of Kenya to limit sulfur content to 50ppm is worth emulating by the rest of the continent.
The Centre therefore made a collective duty call on all-governments, regulators, civil society, the media and all relevant stakeholders to be part of the advocacy to reduce pollution and its associated health risks.
By: Leticia Ohene-Asiedu/Kasapafmonline.com/gh