Following the recent gas explosion at Atomic Junction in Accra on October 7, there has been a loud outcry from the general public urging government to intervene to bring an end to the numerous evitable disasters that have persistently hit the country.
With some questioning the duty of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their veracity as an institution to safeguard human lives, the alarming rate at which these accidents occur has necessitated the shutdown of several LPG operation centres across the country.
This has ignited a huge debate among stakeholders on the siting of some gas filling stations.
In the wave of this, a motion has been filed for the inflammable substance to be situated away from a densely populated geographic location, however the recommendation has been admonished by others, bidding for safety measures to be prioritized instead.
It is from this backdrop that the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rubbished suggestions currently ongoing that gas filling stations should not be operationalised at residential areas.
Mr Abum Sarkodie said that there is no law in Ghana that prevents people from setting up their gas filling stations in residential areas in an interview granted to Kessben FM Omanhene on the morning show dubbed Maakye.
Reacting on Kessben FM to the EPA boss’ assertions, the Chief Executive Officer of Dannywise Estate and Construction Limited, Mr Frank Danyansah said the EPA capo was simply ignorant of the law and blatantly goofed for making such pronouncement that there is no law that inhibits the siting of gas filling station in residential vicinities.
The Young CEO said that in 2015 he was part of Ghana Real Estate Development Association (GREDA) who presented a land use and special planning bill to parliamentary select committee on works and housing committee and the bill was passed to that regards by then Hon Doe Adjaho before that parliament rose to give way to the new and current parliament.
