As part of its effort to reduce gas related accidents in the country, The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has engaged consumers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The exercise is aimed at sensitizing chopbar operators, restaurants, hotels and door-to-door business operators on safe dispensing and use of the gas.
The team lead by Communication Officer of the Authority, Benjamin Sekyere Owusu, interacted with some operators of LPG sale outlets and consumers in Sunyani, Berekum, Techiman, Nsoatre and Ahafo Ano respectively.
Briefing the media, Mr. Owusu explained: “We take them through what to do when you smell gas, the process of lighting the LPG stove, how to store it, the amount of ventilation that is required to ensure that in the event of any leakage, we can contain the situation much more easily”.
He added that: “we engage them not to place cylinder (empty or filled) near any naked flame or inflammable liquids, to always keep the cylinder in a vertical position with the valve on top and installed at ground level on the flat surface and ensure regulators are always kept in off position when the cylinder is not in use.”
While on the field, he said the team identified worrying trend where most of the consumers they visited had placed stones on the valve to prevent any leakage.
He advised consumers to as a matter of urgency desist from it and consult experts to change their valves when they identify any leakage.
“The cost of replacing a spoilt valve does not come anywhere near the lives and properties that will be lost in case of an explosion” he stressed.
Liquefied petroleum gas, just as other petroleum products, has accounted for many of the fire outbreaks recorded in the country because users are either unskilled in its use, or do not adhere to proper instructions on its use.
To minimize such accidents, the NPA has embarked on a national campaign on the dispensing and use of the product to increase people’s conformity to minimum safety measures.
The Authority has so far been in regions such as the Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Volta, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West region’s respectively.
