“Your life is more important than one gallon of siphoned from fuel tanker accidents,” This is the caution from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to citizens who are fond of engaging in the act.
This caution from the regulator comes after the recent accident of a fuel tanker on the Kumasi-Accra Highway when citizens ambushed the accident scene to siphon fuel from the wreckage.
The act has become a normal occurrence despite the dangers involved.
Amid the situation, the NPA is set to anchor a nationwide public safety campaign as the regulator prepares to roll out its “Stay Back, Stay Safe” initiative to curb the dangerous practice of siphoning fuel from accident-involved tankers.
The campaign was announced by the NPA’s Director of Business Development, Godwin Yaw Konu, while speaking on the sidelines of the Africa Extractives Media Fellowship (AEMF) training in Accra.
A Deadly Habit the NPA Wants to End
Over the years, due to the lack of underground fuel pipeline infrastructure to transport fuel, fuel is currently transported mainly by road. Given the situation, fuel tanker accidents have repeatedly turned tragic in Ghana, not just because of the crashes themselves, but due to crowds rushing in to siphon leaking petroleum products.
According to the NPA, many of these incidents escalate into fatal explosions simply because people move too close to unstable tankers, ignoring the extreme fire and blast risks.
“Please stay back from the truck. Don’t go near it,” the Director at the NPA appealed. “Your life is more important than the little product you are going to siphon,” he added.
Let Emergency Agencies Do Their Job
The planned campaign will focus heavily on public education. This will be aimed at reminding citizens that tanker accident scenes are not opportunities for free fuel, but high-risk emergency zones.
Godwin Yaw Konu stressed that only trained and accredited agencies such as the Fire Service, Police, and other emergency responders should approach accident scenes involving petroleum products.
“Let the accredited agencies like the fire service and the police, the emergency service, handle the situation. Don’t be quick to rush to go to the tankers in the name of going to siphon fuel,” he warned.
Human Lives Over Short-Term Gain
The NPA says no amount of fuel is worth a human life. According to the regulator, the campaign will use relatable messaging to drive home the point that rushing to siphon fuel, even “one gallon,” can cost lives, devastate families, and leave permanent scars on communities.
The NPA’s upcoming campaign is expected to involve coordinated messaging through media, community engagement, and collaboration with emergency agencies.
As Ghana continues to rely heavily on road transportation for petroleum products, the regulator believes changing public behaviour around accident scenes is now a matter of national urgency.
