Hundreds of residents at the Adonai intersection between Communities 11 and 12 at Tema in the Greater Accra Region have expressed their displeasure at the siting of a fuel station in the community, which, according to them, poses security, health and safety risks and is a great danger to them.
The aggrieved residents who were clad in red and black attire, expressed their anger in a peaceful protest march across the community.
They carried placards with various inscriptions including ‘No To This Time Bomb Of a Fuel Station’, ‘The Greatest Threat To Our Community Is This Fuel Station’, ‘NPA Withdraw This License Now’, ‘Community 11 Cannot Turn To Circle, or Atomic Junction’, ‘NPA Respect and Listen To Residents’ among others.
The frustrated residents said despite several petitions to authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and Community 11 Police over the siting of the station in the community, their pleas have been ignored while construction works on the fuel station continued at night.
Their renewed protest comes on the back of catastrophic incidents in the past such as the gas and fuel station explosions that occurred at Atomic Junction and Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra respectively, in which several lives were lost and were many injured.
A letter from the NPA dated 5th March 2024, and signed by its Deputy CEO, Perry Okudzeto to Zen Ghana, the alleged developers of the proposed fuel station, revealed that the developers had been granted construction permission but the Tema Development Company has ordered work to stop and asked the developers to produce the necessary documents.
It was also ascertained that a sewage system and a storm drain traversed the site, which is bordered on the south and east by residential buildings.
Consequently, the NPA issued a cessation letter to Zen Ghana Ltd. to stop all construction works till the final determination of the matter and liaise with TDC for the next steps.
The NPA warned Zen Ghana Ltd. that it could face punitive actions should they develop the site without the requisite approval.
The Assemblyman for the Gyatabu Electoral Area, Hon. Felix Sobreh addressing the media on Saturday, said, their lives are under threat as a result of past explosions.
The Welfare Chairman for the Community 11 Residents Association, Mr. Samuel Owusu Akyim and Mr. Ishmeal Kofi Gantorlogah who is an opinion leader, shared their frustrations with the siting of the fuel station and expressed their readiness to challenge the construction project until it is halted.
