The National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana National Fire Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) over the weekend paid a working visit to the New Kejetia Market in response to an alleged gas safety matters in the area.
The Public Utility Regulation Commission (PURC) also accompanied the visiting team to probe into another allegation that the market women have been receiving astronomical light bills. According to a section of the traders, they have taken notice of leakage of gas from the gas plant serving the market and were afraid that a disaster could strike them.
During the visit, the team discovered that more than 9,000 litres of gas had been filled into the tanks without the authorisation of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
The Chronicle gathered that the Brazilian company and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) failed to write to the NPA about their intention to set up a gas storage facility in the market.
As a result, the storage facility has not gone through the basic checks and tests of the NPA, which is constitutionally mandated to oversee all petroleum products in Ghana.
The New Kejetia Market has come under uneasy criticism by the traders after traders were moved into the market.
Among the complaints are flooding of the market during rainfall, poor ventilation and high utility bills among others. These developments have rankled a section of the traders who are threatening to demonstrate if their complaints are not attended to.
Addressing the media after the inspection, Mr Samuel Oteng, the Ashanti regional director of EPA said contrary to earlier reports, his outfit did not observe any gas leakage at the facility, which had already been approved. He, however, said getting the EPA permit is different from the permit to operate the facility.
He stated: “It is true that we monitor most of the time, but if you are going ahead to do things of this nature, you need to also acquire the necessary permit. The issue of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) will need the license from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) before you start the construction of the storage and putting gas into the tank before it is completed. You also need a fire permit.”
Mr Samuel Oteng subsequently urged managers to the Kejetia facility to get back to the NPA and the National Fire Service to put in place all the necessary measures. The Ashanti Regional Coordinator of NADMO, Mr Kwabena Senkyire on his part noted that they have been briefed by the Fire Service and that there was nothing to fear about it.According to him, what triggered the leakage was the replacement of the valve on the plant.
He said: “My problem as a disaster manager is that, looking at the project and where the tank is situated and where the trotro station is, it is less than three meters, which should not be so. The fumes from cars and the spark plugs of some cars can spark fires.
“I have spoken to Mr OseiAssibeyAntwi to let the engineers come and eject metallic structures that are being put up and evacuate them.”
The Ashanti Regional NADMO Coordinator noted that the Assembly is the highest decision making body in the metropolis
The post NPA, EPA, others visit Kejetiaover alleged gas leakage appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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