Tanker drivers who struggle to find adequate parking facilities in the transportation of petroleum products from the refinery and storage areas can now heave a sigh of relief.

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has commissioned an ultra modern parking lot for the Bulk Road Vehicles at Kpone in Accra.

The facility can accommodate at least a thousand petroleum tankers out of the 3,000 operating in the petroleum sector.

CEO of the NPA, Hassan Tampuli, said the facility will improve public safety and standards in the transportation of petroleum products.

He noted a number of accidents were borne out of fatigue as a result of inadequate rest after a trip, hence “the need to construct the tanker parking terminal to address any unforeseeable occurrences of accidents caused by drivers.”

“We, as stakeholders in the industry and operators of these tankers therefore have the responsibility to give members of the public the assurance that we are doing our utmost best to ensure their safety while we carry out our business,” he stressed.

He assured the Tanker Drivers the NPA would continue to create an enabling environment for the operations of the transportation section of the Petroleum Downstream Industry.

The investment, according to the Authority, also exhibits its long term commitment to curb safety risk posed by the indiscriminate parking of Tankers (Bulk Road Vehicles) along the road leading to Tema Oil refinery (TOR) and other depots in Tema.

The Minister of Energy, Mr John Peter Amewu in a speech read on his behalf by the Managing Director of TOR, Mr Isaac Ossei at the inauguration of the terminal said “the parking of Tanker cars, sometimes loaded with petroleum products, along these roads poses a serious Health and Safety risk to life and property. I, therefore, commend the National Petroleum Authority for this laudable project.”

He said the facility will ensure efficiency in the distribution of petroleum products in the country.

Pledging government support to develop petroleum downstream sector, he stated the government will ensure the regular supply of petroleum products to all parts of the country “through a cost-effective and an efficient distribution system”.

The Energy Minister said issues on rehabilitation of pipelines from Tema to Akosombo, the possibility of a rail line between Tema and Kumasi were all given attention to reduce road transportation of petroleum products.