Koforidua (E/R), March 31, GNA- The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has intensified a public safety campaign in the Eastern Region to curb fuel siphoning and promote consumer protection measures.
The initiative, dubbed the “Stay Back, Stay Safe” Campaign, seeks to discourage the hazardous practice of siphoning fuel from overturned tankers, which poses risks to lives, property and the environment.
A delegation led by Mrs Eunice Budu-Nyarko, Director of Consumer Services, undertook a public education and stakeholder engagement tour, comprising media outreach, community interactions and targeted sensitisation programmes.
During radio discussions on Bryt FM and Afeema FM in Koforidua, and Radio 1 in Bunso, the team underscored the life-threatening consequences of fuel siphoning and urged the public to keep a safe distance from tanker accident scenes.
The team also engaged transport operators, traders and residents in Suhum, Nsawam, Adawso and Koforidua, and addressed risks associated with fuel siphoning and broader consumer protection concerns.
The campaign extended to tertiary institutions, including Koforidua Technical University, All Nations University and SDA College of Education, where students were cautioned against rushing to accident scenes to siphon fuel or create social media content.
Mrs Maureen Adwoa Duori, Head of Consumer Education and Stakeholder Engagement, warned against prioritising social media engagement over personal safety.
She said that lives were being unnecessarily endangered, noting that tanker fires could spread up to 400 metres within seconds, turning such scenes into potential death traps.
Mrs Duori urged students to vacate such accident scenes immediately and alert the Ghana National Fire Service.
Mr. Johnson Gbagbo Jnr., Head of Consumer Data Analytics and Market Intelligence, highlighted petroleum product quality as a key consumer protection issue.
He explained that the Authority, in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority, ensured proper calibration and efficient operation of fuel pumps at service stations.
Mr. Gbagbo Jnr. encouraged consumers to remain vigilant and to use the 10-litre standard measuring can, popularly known as “Ntease Kuruwa”, to verify fuel quantities when in doubt.
He cautioned that prolonged exposure to smoke from charcoal and firewood was as harmful as heavy cigarette smoking and encouraged the adoption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas as a cleaner, safer alternative.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey