Outspoken legal practitioner Lawyer Ace Ankomah has chastised former Minister of Environment, Hon. Mahama Ayariga for failing to enforce safety regulations under his tenure to check gas explosions.
Mr. Ayariga reacting to the Atomic Junction gas explosion confessed that he could not close down some high risk fuel stations across the country in the aftermath of the June 3rd disaster due to political pressure.
Mr. Ayariga stated that his hands were tight as a result of pressures from pastors and politicians, friends and family whenever they try to enforce safety regulations.
However speaking to Accra based Joy FM, Lawyer Ace Ankomah who was not pleased with Hon. Ayariga’s explanation blamed the Bawku Central MP for the October 6 explosion due to his failure to enforce the laws by closing down high risk fuel stations.
“You are to blame for what happened. You should be ashamed of yourself,” Mr Ankomah pointed an accusatory finger at Mahama Ayariga.
A gas explosion at the Atomic Junction near Madina on Saturday October 6th resulted in the death of 7 and injuring over 100 persons.
Following the disaster, a cabinet’s meeting on Thursday October 12 saw the introduction of nine safety measures to ensure sanity within the fuel distribution chain nationwide, and ostensibly to curb explosions.
Key among these measures includes the impending closure of high-risk fuel stations across the country within 30-days, and the halting of the construction of new petrol/diesel and LPG filling points nationwide.