Tema-Ghana, June 2, GNA – Mr. Herbert Krapa, Deputy Minister for Energy, has commended the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) for its spirited determination year-on-year, for the sixth year running, to keep a critical industry going at full capacity.
“If there was one event on the calendar of Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) across the length and breadth of our country with the power to engage all our attention all at once, it is the AOMC Safety Week celebration.
“The safety week brings all of the industry players to the table for a change, and we are united in our resolve to protect life, limb, and property in a never-before-seen fashion in this annual AOMC Safety Week Celebration,” Mr. Krapa stated at the launch of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies’ Annual Safety Week (ASWEC).
Mr. Krapa said petroleum products were highly inflammable and that “any moment of lapse in judgment, one faulty piece of equipment, a little disregard for safety procedures, or a slip can result in accidents, explosions, or deadly fires.
“From refining to storage, distribution, and marketing, the need to enforce the highest safety standards should knock on our doors daily, beckoning us more and more every day, towards a no accident industry… And we can.”
The Deputy Energy Minister stressed that the country was steadily making progress in safety within the downstream petroleum sector.
“I understand there were 18 incidents in 2021 and 13 in 2022, with 2020 being the last time lives were lost from an accident in the industry. We are getting there, and I commend the AOMC for your commitment to ensuring safety in your industry,” he said.
He also acknowledged that OMCs and LPG Marketing Companies had invested in training and enhancing the capacity of their staff to promote safety at the workplace.
“You have also enhanced your emergency response mechanisms and established effective communication channels to prevent accidents or manage them promptly when they occur.
“And you have improved your monitoring and inspection systems to detect potential hazards for mitigation… And for that, you all deserve a big round of applause for all that you do in this regard,” Mr. Krapa stated.
Mr. Krapa stated, “Let’s take advantage of the technology of our age to enhance safety in the downstream sector.
“Innovations such as real-time monitoring systems, remote sensing technologies, and improved emergency response mechanisms can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents and enable quicker and more effective interventions when they occur”.
He said, “We are determined, as a government, to do all we can, in collaboration with all stakeholders, to attain an accident-free industry.
“The Ministry of Energy has therefore coordinated the development of a Health, Safety, Security, and Environment Manual for the energy sector to ensure that everyone is guided by laid down minimum requirements”.
Mr. Krapa added “we have a responsibility as a ministry, under the leadership of our hardworking Minister, the dynamic Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to ensure that the industry operates in a safe and responsible manner—not just for the sake of your staff but also the communities in which you operate”.
The Deputy Energy Minister stressed that all regulatory institutions, including the NPA, Petroleum Commission, and Energy Commission, had separate safety units, and approval had been given by Cabinet for a revised energy policy.
Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Duah, AOMC Industry Coordinator, stressed that within the downstream petroleum sector, mistakes were not to be tolerated, as that one last mistake could mean loss of lives, property, or disability, and even more specifically, revocation of operating licenses.
This informed the relevance of this year’s theme, “Your first mistake could be your last,” which seeks to serve as a reminder to players in the industry that contrary to the widely accepted norm of encouraging mistakes as a part of learning procedures, in some instances, our lives could depend on the very first one. We must not confuse poor decision-making with unintentional mistakes.
Mr. Agyeman-Duah noted that sadly, many on-the-job injuries aren’t accidental; they are caused. “It is possible to address the causes and prevent suffering”.
