[ 2017-10-09 ]

Former Environment Minister, Mahama Ayariga

NDC financiers, others frustrated our fight against 'illegal' fuel stations - Ay
A former Environment Minister in the John Mahama
administration has disclosed that a lot of
political pressure was brought to bear on him
affecting effectiveness to close down some filling
stations.

Mahama Ayariga said he was unable to close down a
few more illegally sited gas and petrol stations
as

“It is a major problem and I have to be very
frank that undue political pressure is the reason
why filling stations get sited at the wrong
places,” he told Gifty Andoh on The Pulse on
JOYNEWS’ channel on MultiTV.

The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central said at
the Municipal Chief Executive level, permits are
issued to people to site gas and petrol stations
at wrong locations.

“But then party financiers and cronies they
insist and sometimes bend the rules in their
favour,” he added.

According to him, with regards to some filling
stations that were pulled down or shut down during
his tenure, even senior church leaders, big imams,
colleague Ministers, party functionaries on the
ground all called to give him pressure.

“They all try to show that this and that person
whose station has been shut down has been this or
that helpful to the church, party or the community
so is there nothing that can be done to ameliorate
the situation?

He said in his case he just says no and refer the
persons in question to the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) but another dicey issue to
navigate was the complainants have permits from
the EPA.

Last Saturday evening tragedy left seven dead and
more than 130 injured after two explosions at a
fuel station cited within the busy business
community of Atomic Junction near Madina in
Accra.

The explosion comes more than nine months after a
similar disaster at La in Accra claimed 11
lives including the sister of Trade Minister
nominee Alan Kyeremanten, Bridget Darko. Close to
40 were injured. 

Preliminary investigations into the December 22
gas explosion pointed to missing bolts and nuts on
a tanker emptying gas at the station as the
possible cause of the fire.

He said although the Atomic Junction filling
station did not escape their radar when they were
undertaking their routine checks as “most of the
areas they stopped were triggered by community
complaints.”

Mr Ayariga explained that his office received lots
of petitions and a lot of the communities he
visited during his time in office which became the
subject of discussion received attention as
individuals and groups petitioned.

He explained that he did not fail Ghanaians an
Environment Minister arguing the area is
inappropriate for the siting of gas and petrol
station otherwise the National Petroleum Authority
and EPA would not have granted them operating
permit.

“The issue that may arise today may be a failure
of some equipment there and that is the
responsibility of routine check,” he said. 

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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