Worshipping on fire: Churches at filling stations

Reference to fire in religion and worship is perhaps one of the most endearing and popular symbolisms there is, and more so in the Christian faith where the Bible provides various examples of the power and relevance of fire in spiritual life.

A number of churches and religious events in Ghana, therefore, boldly include fire in their branding, as well as in the description of specific spiritual activities. This is done, perhaps, to emphasise the consuming and destructive power of fire.

My reference to fire here has nothing to do with biblical assumptions or religious descriptions.

I write to highlight and decry the emergent practice of churches and worshiping centres being located in and around fuel filling stations and with absolute disregard for safety and security.

As fuel filling stations become increasingly pervasive and intrusive in most communities in Ghana, particularly in Accra and urban communities around the country, so has the commercialisation of spaces on the premises of these stations for all kinds of purposes.

Filling stations for socialisation

Petrol filling stations in Ghana have all of a sudden gained certain notoriety for being choice rendezvous for socialisation and entertainment.

This is a practice that has quietly grown to become an acceptable part of urban culture and a common spectacle in most communities in Ghana.

While this risky practice persists, the increasing inclusion of churches and worship centres into the social mix of fuel filling stations is also a worrying development that requires attention.

It is common these days to see churches sharing the same buildings and compounds with fuel filling stations, and the fact that the apparent risks and dangers associated with such a development has not attracted anyone’s attention for action is mind-boggling.

Even more worrying is the fact that church founders and leaders, the so-called men and women of God, are at the forefront of taking such reckless and self-seeking decisions which only consider space and convenience without any regard for safety.

Memories of the June 3 Accra Floods and the Circle Fire Disaster come to mind, and I cringe to make any reference to that horrible tragedy.

As tragic and heart-wrenching as those events were, one would have thought they presented us with some painful lessons by opening our eyes and consciences to certain regulatory lapses that require urgent attention.

If for nothing else, the horrific events of June 3 succeeded in highlighting the dangers of indiscriminate siting of filling stations in communities and called on the country to act.

Inaction of authorities

Days immediately after the event saw some traction and a semblance of a renewed urgency to act.

Government showed leadership by making bold indications of its willingness to crack the whip. For a moment, it seemed the country had woken up to the dangers and destructive potency of petrol.

If we remember correctly, in the full glare of media cameras and public attention the Minister of Environment and some Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff moved around Accra and parts of the country and made bold statements to signify intent.

There were some demolitions that ignored party colours. We also heard edicts given on some petrol filling stations including the ever-popular and multi-purpose GOIL filling station in Cape Coast and a few others.

Something was also said in regulatory terms about the proposed Cape Coast University Fuel Filling Station, potentially the first commercial petrol station to be owned by a university and on a university campus. There was an order to put that plan on hold, I remember.

These were promising signals as it seemed the government had learned painful lessons and was ready to do what governments are supposed to do — lead!

After all, the country had lost over a 150 of its sons and daughters through a tragic collision of oil and water.

Fast-forward to now, and as I write, the discourse on indiscriminate siting of petrol-filling stations in communities is muted and greeted with an audible silence around the country.

Memories of the sorrowful event that cost us the lives of sons, daughters, mothers and fathers on that fateful June 3 day have also waned, if not been completely wiped out.

Nobody is talking about it anymore, and we are back to business as usual, perhaps waiting to embrace the next tragedy.

While we wait, party, fanfare and merry-making continue to converge seamlessly with the quest for salvation, on fire, and at our different filling stations.

I have been a worried observer of this development for a while now. I have painstakingly visited a number of these churches for research purposes. I have also taken time to discuss with friends, colleagues and some highly respected pastors to sample their minds and views.

I have been anxious and curious to gain deep insights into the religious and moral implications of such decisions taken by church leaders that somehow endanger the lives of worshipers.

I had wondered and imagined almost helplessly, what God and Jesus would say or do if they came and found Christians worshiping on fire at filling stations.

Obviously the regulatory system and the various authorities in the country have failed, and that is the reason we see petrol-filling stations in every nook and cranny; it is also why such stations have become rendezvous for worship and entertainment, in spite of the apparent dangers associated with them.

I am, however, at a total loss as to why and how church leaders and Christian leadership bodies in the country such as the Christian Council or even the Peace Council have not said or done anything.

As we look back with regret and shame at that Circle tragedy, it is also imperative that the aftermath discourse highlights the randomness, pervasiveness and the unregulated manner in which petrol filling stations are sited in residential neighbourhoods and how their locations drive such activities.

This is not to suggest that the Circle disaster was caused by a wrongfully sited filling station. However, if we are serious about development, then we should learn from our mistakes and come out better and stronger from such events.

The placing of churches on petrol-filling stations is gradually being normalised as there seems to be no one questioning the practice and the potential risks that come with it.

This is what I mean by worshiping on fire and, of course, in reference to the dangers and risks associated with such inconceivable acts of irresponsibility.

The writer is the Principal and Senior Research Collaborator at the Africa Resilience Collaborative (ARC).