{"id":360177,"date":"2017-10-08T16:46:31","date_gmt":"2017-10-08T16:46:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=360177"},"modified":"2017-10-08T16:46:31","modified_gmt":"2017-10-08T16:46:31","slug":"gas-explosions-stakeholders-choose-safety-measures-over-siting-of-stations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/10\/gas-explosions-stakeholders-choose-safety-measures-over-siting-of-stations\/","title":{"rendered":"Gas explosions: Stakeholders choose safety measures over siting of stations"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the aftermath of the Atomic Junction explosion,\u00a0some officials appear hesitant to outrightly condemn the apparently haphazard\u00a0siting of gas and petrol stations.<\/p>\n
The massive explosion at a gas station near Atomic Junction, which has so far claimed seven lives, sparked protests and rekindled the fears of residents regarding the siting of fuel stations in densely populated residential and commercial areas.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”0TiffTk8b867QqIJil1SEcod0rXJPVbQ”]Already, some Ghanaians have hit the streets in protest, and more than 3,000 Ghanaians have signed an online petition to demand that government takes action against fuel stations sited close to homes across the country.<\/p>\n
About eight different gas explosions have claimed nearly 30 lives since 2014.<\/p>\n
But responding to a question on the matter from the media on Sunday at the scene of the explosion, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, was more concerned\u00a0about stringent safety measures and regular checks, as well as sanctions.<\/p>\n
“Maybe safety measures [need to be focused on], beginning from home because I believe that more people die in their kitchens than die from such accidents [explosions] because we don\u2019t adhere to certain simple basic measures. You have to examine your gas stove, see whether it is working…”<\/p>\n
“Make sure the cylinders are working when you are going to buy the gas and that the valves are not leaking and make these are safety measures that we will have to address from the home to where we buy the gas from,” the Minister added.<\/p>\n
Prof. Frimpong Boateng, however said he was trying to avoid any “knee-jerk” declarations, saying his ministry is drawing up policies\u00a0to address these explosions, and \u201cwhen the policy is in place, we can come out with something that is concrete.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fire Service\u2019s Director of Public Relations, Billy Anaglatey, also downplayed the concerns some Ghanaians have over the siting of these gas and fuel stations.<\/p>\n