EPA MUST CHECK SITING OF LPG STATIONS IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 18, NOV 23, 2010)

Operators of some liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stations which have found a huge market in private and commercial vehicles have ignored all safety measure thereby exposing the lives of public and the environment to great danger.
One of these gas stations located on the Sekondi/Takoradi main highway is a potential danger to lives and property.
Tropic Gas is located in a welding and fabrication, auto mechanics workshop, whose operations in proximity to the gas station is dangerous.
That aside, next to the this gas station is a Shell Fuel Station and another workshop in close proximity. In case of fire, there will be a disaster, since the petrol station, the houses, a timber company Primewood, a school and hotel around it may not be spared.
When the Daily Graphic visited the station at about 8a.m. on November 16, 2010, there were many commercial and private vehicles and although discharge of gas was ongoing, owners were eager to buy gas, oblivious of the dangers.
There was also a long queue of domestic users with their cylinders waiting to be served. This reporter entered the yard as a normal customer and did not find any fire extinguishers in the immediate vicinity.
While the gas was being discharged, the level of gas escape became a concern to many around, prompting the manager of the Shell filling station to come out of her office to express her displeasure at the activities of the gas station.
When an official was asked if they had fire extinguishers, he replied in the affirmative but was not able to show this reporter any of the extinguishers since they were not positioned as required by EPA.
When contacted, an official of the Western Regional Office of the EPA, Mr George Diawuo said the agreement for issuing permit to the Tropical Gas was based on the condition that, the owner would relocate the welders and other artisans on the land but till date nothing had been done.
It said even the permit for the operating this particular station had expired and yet to renew it, therefore, the place was to cease operation.
Mr Diawuo, said apart from Tropic Gas and Nab Gas many others dotted around the metropolis were operating against the requirements of the EPA.
He said what the EPA was trying to do was to first educate them and then move in to enforce the law.
Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service also deplored the operations of these fuel stations and said the safety practices were far below the required standard and in case of fire the effect would be difficult to contain.