Tema, July 13, GNA- The Management of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), is making preparation towards relocating tanker drivers and food vendors to about 500 meters away from the refinery by the end of the year to ensure absolute security.

Currently, the drivers' park their tankers at the space in front of the refinery, where they wait for weeks to be served with their fuel allocation, with the food vendors also operating around them. In view of this, management has acquired 550,000 square feet (1.650, 000 sq meters) of land away from the refinery on which work has reached advanced level to accommodate them.

Captain Edward Kofie (Rtd), Security Services Manager disclosed this to newsmen who went to the refinery on Wednesday to enquire about efforts being made to prevent unsightly incidents around the area. On June 22 this year, two tankers parked outside the refinery caught fire, and about two years ago a fire outbreak occurred around the same area, as well as other incidents all allegedly resulting from siphoning of fuel and cigarette sparks, amongst other malpractices. Capt. Kofie said the land was leased to TOR by a private entrepreneur, who is undertaking the civil works and infrastructural facilities on the project.

He led newsmen to tour the project site which has 42 offices for all the Oil Marketing Companies, a clinic, conference room, restaurants, canteen, sanitary facilities, offices for the union leaders and a parking lot that has a capacity for 350 tankers. He however, could not indicate the cost of the project. Capt. Kofie said on completion, tanker drivers would be made to park their tankers at the parking lot while they wait for their fuel allocation.

They would then be invited into the refinery by a public address system for their allocation and leave immediately after being served without allowing them time to loiter around.

The Security Services Manager said officials of the Tema Municipal Assembly would be consulted to demolish all unauthorized structures at the frontage of the refinery after the relocation, while the security personnel would patrol the area to check loiterers. He was optimistic that these measures would help create a sane environment.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Aba Lokko, Public Affairs Manager of TOR has blamed the occasional temporary shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the system to the drastic increase in demand by commercial drivers for their vehicles.

She noted that the drivers, realizing that the price of petrol was expensive than LPG have resorted to the use of the latter. Mrs Lokko however, said presently there was enough gas in the system as a tanker had docked at the port with a consignment. A gallon of petrol sells at 38,400 cedis while LPG sells at 6,579 per kilo. 13 July 06