Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country owe the government more than GHC400 million, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has said.

The debts are in forms of taxes, he stated, stressing it was rather unfortunate that "the OMCs in don't want to pay taxes".

 Dr Abdul-Hamid said this when he inaugurated the newly refurbished 60-seater capacity conference hall of the Bono Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Sunyani, funded by the NPA through the Authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility fund on Tuesday.

He said although God had blessed the country, the bad attitudes of many Ghanaians remained the bane of socio-economic development of the nation.

“Change of attitude is required if we can build our nation”, Dr Abdul-Hamid stated, saying “we all have no choice than to contribute a little we can because individual commitment is needed towards the holistic development of the nation”.

Comparing Ghana to other advanced countries, he said it would be a sign of ingratitude to “God and our forefathers if Ghanaians continue to speak ill of a country which offers all levels of education partially free to our people”.

“So, let’s all try and change our attitudes and rededicate ourselves to the development of our country because everybody including the clergy, chiefs and queens, politicians and academia has our share of running the country down”.

Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister expressed appreciation to the Management, Board and entire staff of the NPA for renovating the conference hall, which she added was left to deteriorate.

 “The renovation of the conference hall is a testament of the good work of the NPA and for that matter Dr Abdul-Hamid”, she indicates, saying the facility had now been put in a good shape to facilitate effective work of the RCC.

Source: Ghana/Sompaonline.com/K.Peprah