GOIL PlC has officially commissioned five auto gas stations simultaneously at five specific locations nationwide at a colourful ceremony held at the Burma Camp GOIL service station in Accra.
The five locations include the Cape Coast By-Pass in the Central Region, the GOIL Burma Camp and Kpeshie Service Station in the Greater Accra Region, and Kentinkrono and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The fifth station, Paco Gas Station, in Takoradi in the Western Region, is going through the final approval processes by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
Group Chief Executive Officer of GOIL, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, said the company has taken a step towards the full implementation of the government’s Cylinder Recirculation Module (CRM) policy, which aims to ensure that by 2030, 50 percent of Ghanaians will have access to safe, clean, and environmentally friendly liquefied petroleum gas.
Speaking during the commissioning of the stations, Mr. Osei-Prempeh noted that the nation’s foremost indigenous oil marketing company is at the forefront of meeting all the supply chain requirements set by the NPA.
He said GOIL’s commitment is demonstrated through the construction of two-cylinder bottling plants, one in Kumasi and another in Tema, as well as the establishment of five modern auto gas stations.
Mr. Osei-Prempeh explained that the sites were selected because they meet the necessary criteria, including approval from the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, compliance with NPA regulations, profitability, and ensuring that customers in different areas have access to modern and safe gas facilities.
He also explained that modern auto gas stations are designed based on current construction procedures and international safety standards.
“The technical experts used gas leakage detection alarms, loading arms, sprinkler systems, automated and emergency shut-off valves, and underground LPG storage tanks fitted with standard equipment. The reason for the choice is to ensure the risk of LPG leaks and the resultant fire accidents and explosions is reduced to the barest minimum.
“The modern auto gas stations will reduce manual handling of the opening and closing of valves, which makes them a safer option for dispensing LPG into vehicles in Ghana,” Mr. Osei-Prempeh added.
Minister for Energy Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in a speech read on his behalf, congratulated GOIL Plc for achieving this milestone, an accomplishment the entire nation takes pride in.
He said the commissioning of this modern autogas station in Burma Camp and, by extension, the other four stations in Kpeshie, Cape Coast, Takoradi, and Kumasi marks a significant achievement in the implementation of energy policy as it pertains to the transport sector in Ghana.
Present at the ceremony were high-level military officers, industry players, former MD of GOIL, Mr. Patrick Kwame Apke Akorli, Brand Ambassador of GOIL, Prof. Azumah Nelson, and Mrs. Faustina Nelson, former Board Members of GOIL.
Others included the board members and management of GOIL Plc, Mr. Moses Asaga and Mr. Alhassan Tampuli, former CEOs of NPA, and Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Duah, Industry Coordinator of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies.
The rest includes officials from COPEC, NPA, Ghana Standards Authority, Environmental Authority, Ghana National Fire Services, Factories and Inspectorate Department, as well as some GOIL dealers.