Residents of Akasti, Sogakope, Aflao and surrounding areas in the southern part of the Volta Region are struggling to find gas for their daily activities. 

This comes a day after gas retail outlets in the capital also run out of stock for LPG. 

Some drivers and passengers  in the Volta region are stranded as vehicles that rely on gas cannot find any to power their vehicles.

One driver, speaking to Regional correspondent Ivy Setordzi claimed, “For the past five days we have been searching for gas for our cars, we don’t have it. I travelled from Accra to this place and my carburator is spoilt so I use gas. Now I am stuck here and cannot go back to Accra....my job is at stake.”

The current situation has been blamed on an ongoing exercise to replace a pipeline between the Tema habour and the area around the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) where gas is delivered.

The replacement of the pipelines has been going on for a week, and as a result,  delivery of gas has been impossible.

Public Relations Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Yaro Kasambata, however, assures the general public that the situation will normalise very soon.

According to him, despite the halt in operations due to  the on-going  work on the pipelines at the oil jetties where vessels will berth to receive stock, “we have some appreciable stock from the Tema Oil refinery, about 3,000 metric tonnes which should go to market by Tuesday.”

He indicated that there is a vehicle already berthed in Takoradi, undergoing preparations to discharge about 4,000 metric tonnes of gas which should be done by Sunday evening.

Mr. Kasambata is confident the product will be ready for distribution to the market by Monday.