Residents of Kwahu-Dadieso in the Ashanti Region have taken matters into their own hands, blocking the road to demand action after a gas tanker fell from a truck on May 1, 2024.
The incident has caused heavy traffic, with vehicles traveling to and from Kumasi forced to stop. Despite reporting the incident to the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Service, no response has been received, prompting the community to take action.
“We’ve been left with no choice but to take the law into our own hands,” said Akua Addo, an eyewitness. “The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, and until today, none of the security agencies have been here, despite our numerous calls to them. We can’t just sit and wait for another disaster to strike.”
Another eyewitness, Kwame Osei, recounted on X [formerly Twitter] the devastating gas explosion incident in Apeate, near Bogosu, which claimed many lives.
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“We can’t afford to sit back and wait for another tragedy to occur. Prevention is always better than cure. We’ve seen what happened in Apeate, and we won’t let it happen here,” he said.
The community’s frustration is palpable, with many expressing disappointment and anger at the authorities’ lack of response.
“We’ve tried everything to get their attention, but it seems like they don’t care about our safety,” said Kwadwo Asante, a local resident. “We’re not going to lift this blockade until we see some action. We deserve better, and we won’t settle for anything less.”
The Fire Service after hearing the action taken by the community rushed to the scene, spraying water on the gas tank with police support. However, the community remains resolute in its demand for action, refusing to lift the blockade until the situation is resolved.
It will be recalled that several people died at Apeate, near Bogoso in the Western Region, after a tanker-gas explosion occurred in the farming community on Jan 20, 2024.
