By: Evans Attah Akangla| ignewss|Ho
Some residents in the Hofedo electoral area near C.K. in the Ho municipality of the Volta region have expressed strong concern the establishment of Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling station in the area.
They have initiated a petition to various authorities, including Ho’s Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Divine Richard Komla Bosson, urging immediate action to halt the construction of a gas filling station within their residential area.
Their primary contention revolves around the proximity of the construction to their homes, citing a mere 2-foot interval between the station’s wall and their bedrooms.
They emphasized that such installations are mandated to maintain a distance of 100 meters square from residential spaces, a crucial safety measure that seems disregarded in this instance.
Expressing their distress, residents highlighted the incessant and round-the-clock construction activities, leaving them uncertain about how to address the situation.
Their written appeals to local authorities aimed to restore peace and prevent potential hazards stemming from the ongoing project.
During their petition presentation to the Municipal Chief Executive on November 14, 2023, residents accused the project owners of being aware of legal regulations but urged the authorities to enforce these laws to cease the construction.
“We are only pleading to the honourable Municipal Chief Executive, the regional minister, regional police commander, we are pleading with them that they should come to our aid, we need their help, we are also Ghanian we need their help because the project that is going on there our lives are at stake so we need their help they should just help us” residents said.
They also recounted how the project’s noise during its initial stages had adversely affected one resident’s health, compelling them to seek urgent intervention.
In a bid to address their concerns formally, copies of their petition were also delivered to the Environmental Protection Agency to implore their intervention in halting the construction.
Assembly Member, Hon. Samuel Bewiadzi, leading the community’s representation, highlighted prior distress calls about the project and referenced past tragic incidents involving gas stations in residential areas across Ghana.
Citing disasters such as those in Accra in 2015, Atomic Junction in 2018, and a recent gas station incident in Ho in 2021, he emphasized the potential dangers and consequences.
Acknowledging the petition received by the Municipal Chief Executive, Bewiadzi confirmed the MCE’s commitment to investigate the matter. The municipal town and country planning officer was tasked with swiftly assessing the project site to seek a resolution satisfying the residents’ concerns.
The assembly member, after visiting the site, observed ongoing construction activities, including the erection of a fence wall and a small building within it, indicating imminent completion of the project.
Expressing his reservations, Bewiadzi emphasized that a residential area might not be conducive for such a facility. He voiced concerns about the type of gas station being built and its compatibility with the neighborhood, highlighting the potential dangers associated with having such facilities in residential areas.
Despite his lack of technical expertise in this domain, Bewiadzi underscored the perceived risks and urged a thorough consideration of feasibility studies and the station’s environmental impact, emphasizing the need for caution given the dangerous nature of gas facilities in residential neighborhoods.