Take Spintex Road into consideration, it was a complete bush some years ago but now a major spot in Accra. Look at Accra-Tema motorway for instance, it used to be outside of town, but now we have buildings all around motorway.

Again, if you look at the trend in Ghana, you will see that once a filling station is set up anywhere, that place becomes a place that all other people want to do their small scale businesses. This is because the location becomes busy to enhance their business activities. So it’s not actually about the locations.

Technically, here in Ghana, unlike in the advanced countries, the owners of the filing stations (OMCs and mostly Dealers) have failed to put in place all necessary safety mechanisms.

1) Firstly, OMCs and their Dealers do not employ technical people (trained personnel) to run their stations because their profit margins are relatively too small for them to pay professionals to do the work.

Meanwhile, fuel stations are considered hazardous everywhere in the world and so we expect people with Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) backgrounds to lead operations at the stations.

This is not the case in Ghana! Running of fuel and gas stations in Ghana are left for untrained, virtually uneducated and inexperienced people, just for very little wages. This is the first thing to change and not the location!

2) Most of the fuel stations lack:
i) Smoke/Fire Detectors
ii) Gas Detectors
iii) Danger Alarm Systems
iv) Hazard Symbols and Warning Signs etc
This is another thing that has to change and not necessarily the location of the fuel stations.

3) No adherence to Dangerous Substances Regulations. This has to stop too! OMCs and their Dealers must uphold international industry best practices such as:
i) Storage tanks, dispensers and pumps must be adequately maintained and monitored
ii) Efficient wet stock management procedures must be used
iii) Identify hazardous areas and control all sources of ignition
iv) Prevention and dealing with any spillages during discharge
v) Putting off of engines of tankers during discharge
vi) Putting off of engines of all vehicles purchasing fuel at the stations
vii)Checking of weather conditions before discharge

In order to enable the OMCs and their Dealers to adhere to all the above, the NPA has to:

1) Rather reduce the number of fuel stations required to qualify for an OMC licence. NPA should concentrate more on the technical ability of the companies that apply for the licence. (Just as a pharmacy licence is issued only when there’s a trained pharmacist, same can be replicated here)
2) NPA has to reduce the tax components in the price build-up in order to increase the Marketer’s margin and the Dealer’s margin. This will make it possible for the OMCs to spend more money on maintainance and compliance. NPA can better and boldly sanction recalcitrant companies.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),  has to continuously inspect all fuel and gas stations periodically in order to advise and direct operations as much as possible.

As a country, when we do all these, explosions will be reduced drastically. Setting up of fuel stations outside of towns or cities does not in itself take out explosions.

Looking at LPG (cooking Gas), what we need now is “Bottled Gas”. This means, the LPG marketers will have to fill their customised cylinders at their highly regulated depots and in turn distribute the already filled cylinders to the public. Once you bring your empty cylinder, you take a filled cylinder home.

This is what is done in most other countries where they don’t use pipe gas or depend heavily on electricity for cooking purposes.

Take a look at fuel stations below in the heart of mega cities in the US, UK and Dubai.

Thank you!

By: Ellis Prince Antsroe
(CEO, Antlis Oil & Gas)

The post Siting fuel stations outside cities not solution to explosions [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Veron came out of retirement last year to play another season in Argentina’s top flight, having already taken a role as a sporting director at the club where his father Juan Ramon was known as ‘La Bruja’ – ‘The Witch’ – for his spellbinding runs on the left wing in the 1960s.

Nicknamed ‘Brujita’ (Little Witch), captain Veron played every minute of his final game in Buenos Aires, battling in vain in defence as home side Tigre overhauled an undermanned Estudiantes, who were reduced to nine players after two were sent off with red cards.

With away fans banned all season in an effort to curb crowd violence, Veron was given a standing ovation by Tigre supporters as he came off the pitch.

“I was lucky to start at this club when I was five and I’m leaving at 39,” the shaven-headed, goatee-wearing Veron told reporters.

“There’s no reason to cry. If you gave everything, you don’t have anything to recriminate yourself for.”

A Serie A champion with Lazio in 2000, Veron’s big-money move to Manchester United the following year was later judged an expensive flop for the Premier League giants as he struggled to make an impact while battling injury.

He was also blamed by Argentine fans for the national team’s disappointing World Cup finals in 2002, where they crashed out at the group stage.

Following struggles at United, a stint at Chelsea was similarly ill-fated but he returned to Italy on loan to Inter Milan, where he was part of the squad that won domestic trophies in 2005-06.

After heading home to Estudiantes in 2006, Veron repaired his image with a majority of Argentina fans after a comeback for his country at the Copa America the following year, playing in a side boasting Juan Roman Riquelme and Lionel Messi that lost in the final to Brazil.

He led Estudiantes to a fourth Libertadores Cup title in 2009, carrying on from his father who was involved in the hat-trick of South American club championships from 1968-70.

Much more than a captain, Veron has become the club’s elder statesman, donating part of the fortune he amassed in Europe to improving facilities for their base in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires province. “In the near future I’ll see how I can carry things forward on a personal level, with a staff, to face another stage in my life as a director,” said Veron, who has dreamt of one day becoming Estudiantes president.

“There are no regrets. I just would have liked to play a Champions League final … (and) win something with the national team.”

A player who stood out for his busy, all-running style in central midfield, Veron reached the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition with Manchester United 12 years ago and played for Argentina at three World Cups. Having earned the respect of his peers and won over detractors, Veron will hope for similar success off the field if allowed to hold positions of power after hanging up his boots.

Source: Reuters

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