Students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), staged a protest this morning against the citing of a fuel station just behind the school. The UPSA gas station protests came at the heels of the Atomic Junction explosion that occurred on Saturday, leaving 7 dead so far, and over 130 people injured.
A statement issued by the Students’ Representative Council yesterday said: “Due to the high number of casualties recorded by some students of UPSA, the Executive Council of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) would like to by this notice inform the students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra to declare a demonstration tomorrow, Monday 9th October 2017”.
The statement singed by the SRC President, Justice Gadugah, instructed students to appear in black and red for the demo with placards; adding that “Sel filling station must be closed down”. It further noted there will be no lectures owing to the protests.
Recall that last year, UPSA students staged a similar demo over the same issue the gas station cited behind their school. The demo came some days after the Takoradi Gas Explosion hit the nation on , leaving scores with varying degrees of injuries.
The university students’ fears are basically triggered by the incessant incidents of fire outbreaks associated with gas stations across the country in recent times.
Incidents of gas explosions and other forms of fire outbreaks in Ghana, have become shameful, rather than saddening, considering the frequency of such occurrences. The Labadi gas explosion which saw the death of the Trade Minister, Alan Kyeremanten’s sister counts among them. The ugly incident had left 5 dead on the spot, and over 30 others seriously injured, out of which the minister’s sister counted among those who did not survive their injuries.
Nobody even wants to recall the gory June 3 incident which claimed close to 200 lives.
Among several other factors that contribute to gas explosions across the country, the careless siting of gas stations and fire risk factories is prominent. Meanwhile, the question is, what has been done about to curb the menace all these while?
Ghanaians are sincerely hoping that it is not the mass death of all the country’s citizens that will eventually move concerned authorities to look into the menace for good.
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