Mysterious Explosions: Ghana’s Future

The recent developments with regards to Gas explosions in mother Ghana has really become an issue of great concern to all, but what are the causes of these explosions, who is to be blamed and what is the way forward? Until recent, I only see explosions in war related documentaries and movies. Witnessing an explosion was very terrifying and horrible, I never wished and will never wish to see anybody victimized by Gas or any other form of explosion. As much as recent explosions in the country has made majority of Ghanaians terrified and leaving in fear, we must be careful we don’t use the firefighting approach again in addressing the issue.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Ghanaian are now more conscious of the dangers associated with handling and use of petroleum product to an extent that victims of a recent accident involving a petrol tanker and a private vehicle were left to their fate: because of the fear, nobody was willing to get closer to assist. Hmm … As a country striving to be among the “highly developed”, are we prepared to put effective measures and systems in place to handle the devastating or negative effects of the technologies and practices we are adopting from the advance world? This I think is no because, my experiences so far shows that; most people (authorities) just look at the positives and shinning aspects of things neglecting its negatives or rusting parts. Simply put, we are not proactive but reactive.

We and most especially those in authority are doing very little to keep us at par with the systems and standards. We have good regulations regulating the way petroleum products must be handle across the country but these regulations are left to either implement themselves or to be implemented one to two months after the happening of these same unpleasant events: they were meant to prevent.

My expectation was, to see the leaderships and persons (supervisors) paid with taxpayers monies to ensure that standards and rules regulating the establishment and handling of petroleum (Gas) products been asked to resign from their positions (to honorably resign on their own), or punished for wasting state resources without working effectively. Interestingly, thus not happening. We completely forget that, these are some of the qualities the countries we so much desire to become like or be compared to, exhibit and do: they hold authorities accountable for gross negligence and incompetent. It’s not really surprising but … The argument made by most people now is, people should not be allowed to site fuel (gas) stations at residential and public areas.

Those already sited must be shut down or relocated. As much as I agree with this, I think thus not the best way forward for a rapidly developing country like ours. Why? Even if the siting of these filling (Gas) stations are done far from residential and public centers: with poor supervision from authorities and gross disregard for safety and precautionary standards, people who go there to buy fuel or gas shall ‘still” be in danger explosions.

Let us not also forget that, most of these filling (Gas) stations especially the long existing ones were constructed far from public and residential areas but due to poor planning of development; people were allowed to build closer to them. Who do we then blame? “Owners”, for not relocating their investment (stations) which obviously will bring another huge capital burden on them; “Citizenry”, for ignoring all the dangers and settling closer to these stations or the “Authorities” specially put in place and given powers to check these gaps?

By the way who is responsible for checking and stopping people from building closer to Gas and Filling Stations? For the current ones been set up in and around the “unapproved areas”, where did the owners (investors) acquire their “permits” from, were the permits not given by the same authorities mandated and paid regularly with taxpayers’ monies to check these? If YES, then what should be done? Are we to blame the innocent investors who used the right means and were allowed to set up their stations at “unapproved areas”? Without the “authorities” responsible, insisting and educating them about the laws and dangers if they undertake those investments and if they (the authorities) fail to do post supervisions and monitoring effectively.

If NO, then why were they (owners) not stopped and punished according to the law for illegally putting up filling (Gas) Stations without permits…: who is responsible for that? On the issue of relocating Gas and Fuel stations in residential and public places, I think this is not convenient or fair: How long are we going to be relocating these stations as the population and human activities expand? I think if the proper measures and monitoring systems are effectively implemented and monitored, then we need not worry so much about them causing explosions.

We cannot continue to be running from the realities. The relocating of fuel and Gas stations in residential and public areas to different places (which l think is highly impossible…) will put economic and other constraints like delays on us. The relocation will only be effective if the authorities can strongly check human activities like settlements around these stations or else after relocating them, people will surely settle close to them again.

Then what happen next? Another relocating exercise? By the way, will the owners (investors) who legitimately establish these stations be compensated for relocating, demolishing and shutting down their filling and Gas stations? To the owners and operators of various filling and Gas stations, please, (regardless of your profit motives). Do not take excuses from the weakness of the various regulatory authorities and be negligence in your operations. I believe your investments were intended to provide services to citizens in form of employment, easy access to petroleum products to boast production and standard of living but not to kill us. So please ensure high safety standards in and around your investments (stations) to secure your own investments and protect lives and properties.

You cannot serve the society (or gain) if they keep dying or are afraid to patronize your investments. Furthermore, we do not need more (new laws) and regulations now; to ensure that future explosions do not occur; what we need is responsible and proactive leadership by those charged with the mandate to regulate the siting and operations of these stations. The new laws can be made but without responsible leadership they become ineffective.

The laws must be implemented: highly incompetent and corrupt authorities be punished accordingly. To add, if closing down and relocation of Gas and Fuel Stations is the options for us as a country: then I humbly suggest all the Gas and filling stations in the country must be closed down and relocated, because in one way or the other, there are human activities going on around them.

To conclude, I believe the right way forward on these explosion issues is not the closing down and relocation of Gas and Fuel stations already sited at pubic and residential areas, but effectiveness of the regulatory authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A), Ghana Petroleum Authority, Standards Authority and others in monitoring and ensuring of standards is the key.

In all, we must be realistic as a country and face the problems head-on whenever they arise, let our leaders not always play politics with issues; they should encourage critical thinking and analysis of events or issues among the citizens rather than taking advantage of the high illiteracy rate to win political points. My condolences to all victims of explosions (Fuel and Gas) in Ghana and around the world.

Thank you all: God Bless our Homeland Ghana.
By: COFFIE CONFIDENCE (www.thetyad,org)