Opinions of Wednesday, 20 December 2017

Columnist: Fadi Dabbousi Samih

LPGMCs in two-timing strategy to frustrate the system

Liquid Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies Liquid Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies

Dear Ghanaians,

I write to you today with the intention to inform you about some unscrupulous people who are hell bent on creating hell in your lives just to fill their bellies. You see, I am going to very simple and blunt about this story. The Liquid Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies have adopted an NDC-like recalcitrance when it comes to the safety and security of the nation.

In the past eight years, of NDC rule, the system was so abused that it has now become an issue to sanitise it. Having done so with other petroleum marketing companies, the turn of the LPGMCs was due, albeit very long overdue. When the NPA announced that government was going to adopt a strategy to save lives by creating a system where cylinders are filled in locations away from densely populated areas, those carefree characters cried foul. The government held on, but if you ask me, I’d say we erred there.

The new regulation should have been implemented. Unfortunately, the CEO of NPA had to wait for clearance, which subsequently, came. In the interim, a little mistake happened at the atomic junction LPG outlet that might have come from a kebab seller or static electricity due to weather phenomenon or the proximity of an active cell phone. Whatever the cause was, the gigantic plume that resulted from the explosion of a gas tanker during discharge told how disastrous that incident was.

Unfortunately, the LPGMCs have not learnt a lesson. Ever since then, they had sought to manipulate the system to create disfavour for some loyal and patriotic folks who love the nation and put the interest of Ghanaians ahead of theirs. Many foolish reasons were made as to why it would be a wrong move to relocate the LPGMCs out of the town and shut non-compliant ones, the major one being that lots of jobs would be culled. In fact, they are so careless that they do not even think that the next casualty of an explosion could be their family member or child. We all know and believe that GOD moves in mysterious ways. That is the extent of their selfishness and greed. They do not mind making a buck or two at the expense of the lives of Ghanaians some of whom are their family members.

The LPGMCs claim that the government is concertedly trying to destroy their businesses. How nonsensical indeed! I mean how? Look, this is the era of innovation, and if the LPG business is going through positive metamorphosis to be in line with the current trends, then why not? After all, we once used Maame trucks (arrowglass) to travel; now we have migrated to the use of VIP buses and latest other modes of transportation. Does that mean we have made the drivers and mates of those Maame trucks jobless?

Not too long ago, people had to go to the post and telecommunication (P&T) company to make calls to people just a short distance away; but today with just a small gadget in your pocket, you can reach an affiliate in China. Does this mean we have cancelled the jobs of the people at former P&T? In the eighties, we would buy chilled water on the streets that is just fetched from a bucket with a plastic cup,which we all drank from; that migrated to polythene sachets that were bloated like a pregnant zebra; today we have migrated to the use of pure water sachets. Does this mean that we have cancelled the jobs of the former?

NO NO NO!!! They just have to succumb to the changes in time, and ways that things are done. Besides, the population has bloated in the shortest period of time (ade3 y3d3 w) b3be ), so the necessities of the status quo demand that the system restrategises to meet the demands of a nation that is being made Great Again under the presidency of Nana AddoDankwaAkufo-Addo.

What is confusing is that representatives of the Union of LPGMCs are all over the place singing one song and playing the tune of another; quite discordant and ear-bursting! What I cannot stomach is shameful irony of circumstances that can only point to one trait – Nation Wrecking! They do not mind wining and dining when such culinary opportunities makes manifest, yet they will revert after that to the empty humdrum buffoonish noise that is unbefitting of a healing nation.

Recently, the representatives of the union of LPGMCs participated in the just ended LPG Implementation Committee working visit to Morrocco, Senegal and Ivory Coast, where Ghana received a prize to honour the hard work that the government of Nana Akufo-Addo was chalking through the Ministry of Energy and the National Petroleum Authority. They accepted to comply with the relevant new regulations, otherwise what would have sent them on this visit?

I want to send them a strong message that THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE DISTURBED. The laws will be adhered to sacrosanctly, whether anybody likes it or not. Nana Akufo-Addo is not here to trade tomatoes and onions. He is here to bring back the Ghana that we all crave for; a Ghana of honour, aide-free independence, success, fiscal maturity, and self-sustainability.

So I say to the LPGMCs, “Wop3 o Womp3 o, adwenpa b3 y3 adwuma.”

GOD bless you my fellow Ghanaians. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!