FIRE SERVICE IS NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR FILLING STATION LICENCE - BILLY ANAGLATE



The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service Prince Billy Anaglate has stated that his organisation is not the only one responsible for issuing licences for the operation of filling stations. He said others like the National Petroleum Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are also major players in the licensing regime.

Mr. Anaglate said this during GBC’s TALKING POINT programme on Sunday evening. He said the Fire Service goes on regular unannounced inspection of various facilities as part of their work but they do not decide where those facilities should be sited. 

The discussions came on the heels of the gas explosion on Saturday evening at the Madina Atomic Junction Gas Filling Station near Accra, where seven people are reported dead with several others injured.

On the vexed issue of the location of a number of filling stations around the same area as it was at the Atomic Junction, Mr. Anaglate said it was not an issue till after the June 3 Disaster where it was placed on the table as an issue worth looking at. 

“Before the June 3 situation came up, the situation of gas explosions was not part of what we had on the ground. We were actually allowing the co-existence of filling situations. For now the decision has changed that we are not going to allow any co-existence of filling stations.” Mr. Anaglate stated.

Whilst cautioning the filling station owners about the need to put in place the relevant safety measures, Mr. Anaglate raised concern about the situation where those locations are used as parking lots especially at the end of the day. He said this is not advisable since in the case of an emergency, all these vehicles are at risk. He said it is against the safety regulations.

Mr. Anaglate further pushed the issue of safety to individuals who patronize the filling stations. He said some have contributed to some of the disasters recorded because they fail to adhere to safety measures like not making phone calls at gas filling stations where they had gone to fill their cylinders. He added that the Fire Service can go on their regular monitoring but it is the responsibility of all others to ensure that safety measures are adhered to at all times. 

Whilst acknowledging the important role of the Fire Service in ensuring safety at all times, Mr. Anaglate insisted that issue about exclusion and buffer zones around filling stations still remain the preserve of the District Assemblies. Such zones should always exist to help evacuation in the event of emergencies as recorded recently. He dispelled the notion that the Fire Service is not on the best of working relations with the National Petroleum Authority. He added that there is a working committee of all the regulatory agencies and they meet every two weeks where they exchange information on what is happening on the ground.

Mr. Anaglate agreed with a suggestion that all filling stations should have a well-manned safety department.

In a contribution by telephone, Jacob Osei-Yeboah a former independent presidential candidate and an engineer stated that the problem of gas filling explosions boils down to lack of enforcement of regulations.. He added that the NPA must close down all filling stations without the appropriate safety gadgets.

Story: K. Obeng-Kyereh
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