Fuel Safety Front and Center as NPA Deepens Engagements with Traditional Leaders
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is ramping up its fight against dangerous fuel theft and spillage through renewed engagement with traditional leaders in northern Ghana. By partnering with local chiefs and community influencers, the NPA aims to amplify public safety messaging and curb life-threatening behaviors such as siphoning fuel from overturned tankers — a practice that has recently put lives at risk and raised alarms across the country.
Accra, Ghana | February 1, 2026 — The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has intensified its focus on fuel-related safety through renewed dialogue with traditional leaders across Ghana’s northern and middle belts. This latest round of traditional engagements underscores the critical role of community leadership in combating dangerous practices linked to fuel theft and spillage incidents.
On January 29, the Regent of the Wulensi Traditional Area, Naa Osuman Salifu Wumbei, accompanied by the Wulensi Saha, Naa Mohammed Adams Ijor-Nda, paid a strategic visit to the NPA Chief Executive, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo Esq., underscoring the growing collaboration between the petroleum regulator and local authorities. The discussions spotlighted the need for the NPA to extend its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to the Wulensi Area, reinforcing safety and education efforts.
Mr. Tameklo leveraged the opportunity to call on traditional leaders to actively support NPA’s public education and sensitization campaigns. He emphasized the urgent need for community leaders to caution their constituents against the perilous practice of siphoning fuel from overturned tankers — a behavior that repeatedly endangers lives and has been strongly condemned by the Authority.
This warning follows a recent fuel spillage on Nsawam Road, where individuals unlawfully attempted to retrieve fuel from a toppled tanker. The incident, which raised concerns of potential explosions and fatal accidents, elicited swift condemnation from the NPA, aligning with stern warnings issued by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on the dangers of such reckless acts.
Further strengthening the regulatory ties with traditional institutions, a delegation from the Nanumba Traditional Council visited the NPA headquarters on January 28. Led by Nyelinbulgu Naa Dassana Andani Yakubu, Acting President of the Nanumba Traditional Council and Regent of Bimbilla, the delegation sought to deepen collaboration with the NPA. The group also included Chief Amidu Seidu of Kpanso, Naa Zo (Assistant to the Regent), and Dr. Mohammed Rasheed, Secretary to the Overlord.
These engagements mark a strategic approach by the NPA to leverage traditional governance structures in promoting safe fuel handling and consumption practices, reflecting an understanding that community voices are pivotal in shaping behaviors that impact public safety.
As the fuel sector continues to navigate challenges linked to illicit fuel theft and associated hazards, the NPA’s proactive partnership with traditional authorities signals a vital front in Ghana’s broader effort to safeguard citizens and protect critical energy infrastructure.
