For the past two weeks or more now, the entire nation is experiencing the chronic shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which has brought to a halt a host of activities that requires the use of gas such as for cooking food in homes, restaurants and chop bars dotted across the country, for welding metals by welders, fridge repairers, and also as a source of fuel by commercial and private vehicle users, which ultimately results in loss of income and productivity. People have seen moving from one gas filling station to the other with their empty cylinders only to be told there is no gas available.

Taxi drivers, restaurant owners and chop bar operators who solely rely on gas as their only source of fuel are seething with rage as to why the shortage of gas has continued for such a very long time without appropriate explanation from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), or even the Ministry of Energy. Many have also questioned why government is not putting in place measures to construct large storage facilities to forestall the chronic recurrence of gas shortages in the country. Provided plans are already advanced by government to build storage facilities, then government is entreated to hasten their construction to bring an end to this perennial phenomenon.

The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), according to management and staff is under resourced which results in it being shut down denying the nation the expected gas it would derive from refining crude oil. To avert such a situation, Tema Oil Refinery should be adequately resourced to be able to produce liquefied petroleum gas in abundance to meet the growing demand for the product. According to the Public Relations Manager of the National Petroleum Authority, Mr. Yaro Kasambata, the current storage facility can store a little over 7000 metric tons of gas at full capacity with a corresponding daily consumption of over 1000 metric tons of gas in the country is seen as woefully inadequate.

With this explanation, it means that even if there is to be an abundance of gas at TOR, there would be no storage facility to store it for further use by the public. It is time government prioritize the efficient provision of basic amenities like water, electricity, and gas which should be readily available to the public without the loss of quality productive time. Although Ghanaians are hailed as being law abiding people who have had their patience tested on several occasions when it comes to being at the receiving end of poor services rendered to them, and there are signs their patience is running thin and will one day make known their displeasure either by staging a mass demonstration or voting out a government they perceive as not having their welfare at heart in an election.

It is my prayer and that of many Ghanaians that a policy on gas to bring to an end to the numerous ad-hoc measures taken to arrest the shortage of the product. The private sector should be encouraged to also venture into constructing storage facilities to compliment that of government. Failure on the part of government in constructing new storage facilities would compel people to revert back to the use of charcoal and firewood as the alternative to gas in their homes, which would bring pressure to the already depleting vegetative cover of Ghana. The time for government to act quickly and decisively is now since there is no need in listening to the apportioning of blame, the time of listening to political rhetoric by politicians is also over. A word to the wise the adage goes is enough; likewise a good message does not require too much time to be understood by the listener.

ERIC OTENG JESSE SANTA MARIA, ACCRA CT3652 CANTONMENTS-ACCRA.