The New Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Eastern region has initiated legal processes against Dukes Petroleum Limited over sitting of “suicide “Fuel Service station located in between residential houses at Koforidua -Anlo Town.
The writ of summons as filed by the Counsel for the New Juaben Municipal Assembly, D.K Nyanudor and cited by Kasapa News is seeking the following reliefs in the statement of claims :(1) an order for declaration that the plot of land on which the fuel service station is being constructed is Earmarked /Zoned by the Plaintiff as Residential area.(2) An Order to demolish the structure built for fuel service station at Anlo-Town as it is sited in a place dangerous to residents in the community and (3) An Order for Perpetual Injunction to restrain defendant, his privies, agents or his workmen from operating the fuel service station. 
The decision by the Assembly to drag the company to court has been imperative as the company has defied revocation of permit notice and Stop work order served the company on April 29, 2016 and October 18, 2016 respectively by the Municipal Assembly and the Eastern Regional Disaster Management Committee.
Despite several warnings and stop work orders from the Assembly, the Eastern Regional Disaster Management Committee and the Police, the Company has gone ahead to complete the fuel service station which has deepened public outcry and protests.
The disputed filling station has been built in a densely populated area in between cluster of houses and more dangerously shares wall with kitchens of residents. The Fuel Service Station would pose serious threat to the health of over 100 persons directly staying closer to the fuel pump station as a result of continues inhalation of harmful chemicals which dissipate from the petroleum products, and above all, danger to lives and millions of Ghana cedis worth properties in case of any unfortunate fire accident.
Residents in Anlo Town have embarked on several demonstrations calling on authorities to stop the project prompting action by the Eastern regional disaster Management committee led by then Eastern regional Minister Mavis Ama Frimpong to stop the developer in October but after a short while, work resumed steadily raising public concerns which became loud after the LA -gas explosion which killed six persons and injured over 25 persons.
For this reason, the Eastern Regional Police Command, on December 26, 2016 stormed the site and arrested the workers on site to the Regional Police Command but were released shortly. Construction bounced back and has been completed awaiting commissioning.
Dukes petroleum limited has defended itself claiming it has secured the necessary permits from the appropriate regulatory bodies including the National Petroleum Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana National Fire service,Town and Country Planning, and the Municipal Assembly, to construct the fuel filling station.
By: Kojo Ansah
