The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies Association of Ghana has called on the general public to desist from rushing to various retail outlets across the country to purchase gas in response to the President’s partial lock-down of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi on March 30, 2020.

This comes after thousands of people in response to the partial lock-down announcement massed up at some LPG retail outlets, banks and markets on Saturday.

This is in spite of the fact that all these service providers are deemed essential services, and are thus exempted from the lockdown.

According to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies Association of Ghana, it is necessary for people to stop massing up their outlets to curtail the continuous spread of the novel Coronavirus as long queues are formed at the pumps thus making it difficult for them to observe the social distancing rule.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the Association, Malam Bukari Amadu, assured the general public that all its retail outlets across the country will be opened during the two-week partial lock-down.

“The Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies Association of Ghana wishes to assure our esteemed customers that they will not be affected by the impending lock-down, and hence will not be shutting down retail outlets across the country,”

“We therefore plead with the general public to desist from massing up at our pumps with the hope of buying more than what is urgently needed. We are worried that the queues at these pumps may aid and speed up the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid -19), and endanger you our dear cherished customers,” the statement noted.

The Association further cautioned the general public against hoarding of LPG at home as it ‘presents its own danger and challenges to the households and its immediate environs.’

It also urged the public to refrain from panic buying as “you can be rest assured that not only do we have enough supplies, we are also open to serve you at all material times during the period.”

Currently, Ghana has recorded 141 cases with 5 deaths and 2 recoveries. Globally, The global number of COVID-19 cases is almost 600,000 with over 27,000 deaths.

Partial lockdown of COVID-19

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Friday, 27th March, 2020, imposed the partial lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kuamsi, which have been identified as the epicentres of the novel coronavirus in Ghana.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, in the national address, stated that “effective 1 am on Monday, 30th March, some forty-eight hours from now, I have imposed, pursuant to the powers granted the President of the Republic, under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), restrictions on the movement of persons in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA, which includes Awutu Senya East), and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and contiguous districts, for a period of two (2) weeks, subject to review.”

Source: Citinewsroom.com