Punish officials for reneging on duties - Senyo Hosi
Avoidable tragedies are being recorded in the country because the authorities have been left off the hook for reneging on their duties, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), Mr Senyo Hosi, has stated.
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“When people are not held responsible for actions that keep on endangering the lives and property of people, innocent Ghanaians will continue to suffer for the negligence of others,” Mr Hosi said.
in an interview after presenting GH¢11,000 to 22 victims of the gas explosion at La who are on admission at the 37 Military Hospital, on behalf of the CBOD, Mr Hosi said: “So long as persons are not held accountable for being negligent in the performance of their official duties, avoidable disasters will continue to claim innocent lives”.
He advised the government to, for once, crack the whip to forestall deaths caused by negligence at public places.
Background
Eleven people died in a gas explosion that occurred near the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre at La in Accra last Thursday.
About 40 others who sustained various degrees of injury were rushed to the 37 Military and the La General hospitals.
The explosion occurred around 5.30 p.m and swept through the street onto parts of the Trade Fair Centre.
In the wake of the explosion, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shut down the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station that exploded that day and left in its wake serious fatalities..
According to the agency, preliminary investigations pointed to a leakage at the station which recorded the first blast at around 5.30 p.m. before it swept across the road and entered a section of the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre where three buildings and three cars were completely burnt.
Comments
Commenting on the gas explosion, Mr Hosi said there were laws, but it was unfortunate people got away with their aberrations irrespective of how grievous the outcome of their negligence was.
“It is unfortunate this has happened, considering what occurred on June 3 last year,” he said.
He advised Ghanaians “not to politicise tragedies because tragedies do not know whether or not someone is NDC, NPP, employed, unemployed, rich, poor, child or adult”.
“Let this issue not be one of the talk shops just like what we did in June 2015,” Mr Hosi added.
He recalled how his organisation was criticised for calling for the audit of all 2,500 fuel stations after the June 3, 2015 disaster, which claimed more than 150 lives.
“Some said our call was too far-fetched. Here we are today with an explosion from a gas filling station. How long will this happen? How long will innocent Ghanaians lose their lives or suffer deadly injuries due to someone’s ineptitude?” he queried.
Reforms
Mr Hosi called for drastic overhaul of the oil and gas industry to maximise safety issues.
He also reminded Ghana’s political leadership that “you cannot toy with the lives of voters and go to them every four years to vote for you”.
“We cannot continue on this vicious cycle. Ghanaians deserve better,” Mr Hosi added.
The donation
Mr Hosi and his team visited the Children’s Ward, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the Allied Ward, Tamakloe and emergency wards of the 37 Military Hospital.
Two of the 22 victims have been discharged.
At the Children’s Ward, Mr Hosi pledged the CBOD’s commitment to sponsor the education of a nine-year-old victim, who is said to have lost his parents some months back.
Each of the victims was presented with GH¢500 cash.
A Senior Administrative Officer of the hospital, Lt Col Rex Adzagba, took Mr Hosi and his team round the hospital.
He thanked the CBOD for its kindness and urged other organisations to emulate the gesture.
