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Gas Shortage Hits
Accra, Tema Area
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra,
Jan 25, Ghanadot - The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) says there is
more than enough Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the system
and so there is no need for panic among consumers and this
statement comes to assuage concerns of consumers following
reports of shortage of LPG in some parts of Accra, resulting
in long queues.
Following reports of long queues in areas such as Adabraka
and Awudome for LPG, the Managing Director of the Tema Oil
Refinery (TOR), Dr Kwame Ampofo, announced that TOR had more
than enough LPG in the system.
Dr Ampofo explained that even though the recent inferno
which engulfed the refinery had some impact on the supply of
the product, supply had resumed and TOR had dispatched
tankers for distribution to sale outlets.
He stated that petrol was also being supplied from the
various depots across the country and he did not envisage
any shortage.
Dr Ampofo expressed optimism that there would be no more
queues when the tanker delivered the products to their
destinations. During a visit to some LPG filling station
last Sunday, attendants told Ghanadot of shortage of the
item since last Saturday.
Others said the shortage of the product started last week as
a result of which consumers returned home with their empty
cylinders after they failed to get LPG from various filling
stations.
The Awudome LPG filling station had neither attendants nor
consumers present when this reporter visited the station the
station only had an inscription “NO GAS, NO GAS, NO GAS “on
a board at the main entrance to the yard. At the Go Gas LPG
filling station at Kawukudi Junction, near the Accra Girls
Senior High School, the “NO GAS” sign was boldly displaced
at the entrance, reports Seth J. Bokpe. The attendant, Mr
Karim Issaka, said his outfit ran out of stock last Friday,
adding that fresh supplies were expected today (Monday).
A disappointed taxi driver, Mr Jacob Yeboah, whose car runs
on LPG, said he had exhausted the little gas he had in the
car to search for more. “if the situation does not improve,
I would have to park the vehicle and stay home,” he said.
The situation was not different at the Dzorwulu LPG Station,
the place was closed with no attendant to speak to. Here, a
customer, Isaac Anorzor, a beverage seller, said he had”
roamed almost every gas station in town in search of gas but
could not get any.” Adding that” I would now have to depend
on charcoal, which is more expensive for my kind of
business”.
The same scenario was at the Teshie-Century Star LPG filling
station, where the Manager told the Daily Graphic that his
supply “finished three days ago”. He, however indicated that
he had received a promise of receiving a new consignment
today (Monday).
According to him, information he gathered was that the fire
incident at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) affected production
and supply of the commodity. The Naadab Gas Station located
at Tesano, the Amoh Gas Station at Apenkwah and two other
stations located at Achimota and Chantan were closed with a
“NO GAS” sign boldly displayed outside their premises. The
attendants at those stations were all not available to be
spoken to.
However, some of the residents around Tesano and Kokomlemle
said when all attempts to buy gas from the Amoah and Naadab
stations within the past week failed they went to other gas
stations in the capital but they still could not get any.
A resident of Kokomlemle, who gave her name as Helen Akoto
Berko, a student, said she had been to almost all the gas
stations in the capital in search for gas to no avail.
She said as a result she had resorted to buying cooked food,
since she had not been able to cook herself.
Ghanadot
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