The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), Ing Kwabena Bempong, and the entire membership of the Institution commiserate with the families of the 3 (three) men who died whilst working in a fuel reservoir belonging to the Produce Buying Company (PBC) at the COCOBOD office in Koforidua in the Eastern Region on Monday, October 9, 2023.

The heart-breaking incident occurred when the three (3) men, together with two (2) others who were contracted to perform maintenance work inside the reservoir, allegedly failed to observe safety protocols, got suffocated, and eventually died in the tank.

It is not yet clear to the Institution if these men were probably trained and certified for such work. Observation of safety protocols in all engineering works is paramount in protecting life and property and is taken seriously in the training and certification of engineering technicians and craftsmen.

Sadly, the GhIE has observed that several artisans in the country are not properly trained and certified for the type of work that they do and usually do not follow the required safety protocols.

The Engineering Council ACT, 2011 (ACT 819) prohibits the hiring of individuals without the necessary training and certification from undertaking engineering works similar to what the three (3) deceased men were involved in. It is not clear if the Produce Buying Company undertook the needed due diligence before contracting them for the works.

We urge all especially public sector agencies to ensure that all engineering practitioners they engage are adequately trained and certified by the Engineering Council of Ghana and observe proper safety protocols.

Recently, the GhIE has trained and inducted over 300 Craftsmen as members in a process toward certification by the Engineering Council of Ghana. We encourage all artisans (electricians, mechanics, masons, plumbers, and the like) to contact the GhIE to take advantage of the training and certification process to become compliant with the laws of Ghana.

In doing so, they will be able to be more professional, safe, and ethical in their activities. They will also be eligible to participate in the continuous professional development programs of the Institution.

As we mourn with the families of the deceased, we urge all artisans to observe all safety protocols required in their operations to protect life and property.

The GhIE is engaging with the Engineering Council of Ghana to find out the root course of this problem and measures to prevent future occurrences.