The Chamber of Oil Marketing Companies (COMAC) on Tuesday opened a four-day Safety Week 2026 at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra.
The initiative aims to enhance collaboration and reinforce health, safety, security, and environmental (HSSE) standards across Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.
The event brought together regulators, industry leaders, and key stakeholders under the theme, “Manage the Risk Before It Becomes an Incident.”
In a welcome address, COMAC Board Chairman, Mr Gabriel Kumi, underscored the importance of a unified vision and collective accountability in advancing safety, while acknowledging the NPA’s leadership in coordinating sector-wide initiatives.
He urged participants to bring the full weight of their experience, expertise, and institutional responsibility to bear on the discussions ahead.
“Let us not leave this conference merely as observers. Let us leave as agents of change, unequivocal in our commitment to building an industry in which every worker returns home safely and every community in which we operate is better protected,” he charged.
Dr Riverson Oppong, Chief Executive Officer of COMAC, commended the NPA for strengthening regulatory compliance, improving petroleum supply resilience, and driving operational efficiency.
He urged participants to collaborate closely under the Authority’s guidance to elevate industry performance and safety standards.
Delivering his remarks, the Chief Executive of the NPA, Mr Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, highlighted key safety concerns within the sector, particularly the increasing incidence of fuel tanker accidents and the dangerous practice of fuel siphoning at accident scenes.
He noted that the Authority has intensified its public safety campaigns and is working closely with the DVLA and other stakeholders, including tanker driver unions, tanker owners, and the Ghana National Fire Service, to address the challenge of inexperienced tanker drivers and enhance road safety.
He reaffirmed the NPA’s commitment to proactive safety interventions to safeguard lives, infrastructure, and operational continuity, especially amid global supply uncertainties.
In a keynote address, the Minister of Energy commended the NPA’s leadership and called for the integration of robust safety practices into daily operations, as well as increased public awareness to promote a resilient and accountable downstream petroleum sector.
Additional presentations from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD), and the Department of Factory Inspectorate (DFI) emphasised regulatory compliance, preventive systems, and sustained collaboration.
The opening day also featured a practical fire safety demonstration and a panel discussion on building a proactive safety culture.
The NPA’s Director of Risk, Mr Joseph Awen Awan, stressed the need to address technical capacity gaps, noting that effective safety management depends on equipping personnel with the requisite expertise to anticipate and mitigate risks.
Safety Week 2026 continues with a series of engagements focused on strengthening industry-wide commitment to safety excellence.
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