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General News of Friday, 1 April 2005

Source: GNA

NDC welcomes committee to investigate Tema fire

Accra, April 1, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday welcomed the decision by the government to set up a Committee to investigate the cause Good Friday fire outbreak at the PSC Tema Shipyard that cost 15 lives and destroyed vital equipment of the Tema Oil Refinery and VALCO, among other things.

"The extent of damage caused by the fire to life and property is very disturbing and a great worry to the NDC," it said in a statement signed by Mr Baba Jamal, Deputy General Secretary.

"It is therefore in order (for the) government to set up a Committee to investigate the cause of the fire outbreak," it added. The NDC urged members of the Committee, headed by former IGP Nana Owusu Nsiah to exercise their mandate independently to ensure that the true cause of the fire outbreak was established.

"It is the belief of the NDC that the results of a thorough investigation will also prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the future."

The NDC said it was also cautioning the government not to use the incident of the fire outbreak as justification for maintaining the hikes in fuel prices, which had increased the economic hardships of Ghanaians. The Party expressed condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in the accident.

It also urged all institutions, organisations and Ghanaians in general to take the necessary precautions to prevent such occurrences.