GOIL and Star Oil are locked in a heated competition for Ghana’s fuel market, with motorists closely comparing pump prices as they decide where to refuel. Yet, the rivalry has not soured the relationship between the two companies’ chief executives.
Edward Bawa, CEO of GOIL, said the contest remains strictly business. “They are competitors like us. They want to do well. All of us are scrambling for the same market, and we are using the strategies that we all find fit to be able to get that customer,” he told Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition.
Bawa added that GOIL is ready for the challenge from Star Oil. “I wish my brother Philip Kwame Tieku the best of luck, but GOIL will be a tough nut to crack,” he said, noting the two leaders have never met in person but keep a social‑media connection.
He recalled being touched when Tieku wished him a happy birthday on his own birthday, calling the gesture a sign of maturity and proof that intense competition does not have to destroy personal relationships. “That irrespective of the fact that we are combatants in the business world, on a personal level we can still be friends,” Bawa said.
The friendly rapport between the CEOs comes as both companies continue to vie for a larger share of the market, with pricing emerging as the key battleground. Despite the fierce competition at the pumps, the contest has not prevented respect and friendship between the leaders.
