Implementing a 24-hour economy in the petroleum sector will require collaboration with various security agencies to ensure the safety of consumers and personnel at fuel stations across the country.
Chief Executive-National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mr. Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, emphasised the importance of strict regulation and enforcement to protect the petroleum downstream industry from criminal activities.
This, he noted, is important because the petroleum sector is highly susceptible to criminal activities such as fuel smuggling, illegal siphoning and fraudulent transactions. Since fuel by its very nature is a highly valuable commodity, it is a lucrative target for illicit activities.
“We will need active involvement from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), alongside the NPA’s intelligence unit and other security agencies like the Police, Customs and Fire service to combat all forms of fuel-related crimes,” NPA boss noted.
Mr. Tameklo even hinted at plans to take the security agencies through specialised training programmes to enhance their capacity in tackling petroleum-related offences.
Indeed, the NPA boss’s call for security collaboration is crucial, especially given the vulnerability of some filling stations at night-time closing periods. It will be recalled that masked armed robbers attacked the Kansaworodo branch of Total fuel station in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis not long ago.
Fortunately, keys to the safe were with the manager who was not on the premises during the incident, so the robbers could not get their booty.
Mr. Tameklo made all this known when he spoke at a special meeting with the Eastern Regional Minister, regional security heads and key stakeholders at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council RCC in Koforidua this week.
The current security situation in the country’s fuel depots is not conducive to operating on a 24-hour basis, since it will put fuel attendants and workers at risk. It is not uncommon to hear of burglaries at fuel stations, particularly those that operate at odd hours.
Since government intends to implement a 24-hour economy, it is important to secure vital posts like fuel stations that are usually easy targets criminals in their nefarious activities.
The NPA boss therefore hit the nail on its head when he called for greater security collaboration to curtail fuel-related crimes.
