Kwesi Pratt kicks against filling stations demolition

daniel russell

June 10, 2015 10:04 AM

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) started a demolition exercise last Saturday at the Odododiodio constituency and the Ga West Municipality.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr says the LMVCA demonstration was needless

Managing Editor of the newspaper, Kwesi Pratt says demolishing fuel stations in the country is not the solution to the perennial flooding in Accra.

Some people have called for the demolition of filling stations situated at residential areas and illegal structures following the June 3 Goil Filling Station inferno that claimed over 200 lives.

But according to the ace journalist, filling stations cannot be sited outside communities. He stated that there are filling stations situated at residential areas in other jurisdictions but no such disasters have been recorded. Mr. Pratt opines that the way forward is for government to implement and enforce safety measures.

“Filling stations are in communities. Filling stations cannot be outside communities. It is communities which need filling stations. The difference is the safety measures and the enforcement of safety measures....All over the world, there are restaurants, supermarkets at filling stations, yet disasters don’t occur. The difference is the implementation and enforcement of safety measures, the laws work...So, in Ghana, even if we move the filling stations into the forest or the Sahara desert and do not enforce any safety measures, we will still be having disaster on our hands,” he said.

Although Kwesi Pratt admitted that it was necessary for authorities to demolish properties built on waterways, he stated that sufficient notice should be given to the people so that they would safeguard their valuables before the demolition.

He sought to find out why a country like Ghana cannot put measures in place to curb the perennial flooding.

“Demolishing for demolishing sake will help no one, we need to plan adequately before we embark on exercises of that nature...This is a country with a university of science and technology. Have they been charged to find solutions to these problems? If they have, what resources have been set aside to assist them in their findings?"

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daniel russell