The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has intensified calls for public safety awareness, warning that the practice of scooping fuel from overturned tankers could lead to devastating explosions, injuries and loss of lives.

The Authority has therefore urged Ghanaians to take personal responsibility for preventing such incidents by discouraging relatives, friends and community members from rushing to accident scenes to collect spilled petroleum products.

Speaking at the 2026 NPA Consumer Week celebration in Kasoa, the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Godwin Kudzo Tameklo, expressed concern over the dangerous practice, stressing that no amount of fuel was worth risking human lives.

He cautioned that petroleum products are highly flammable and that attempts to collect fuel from accident scenes expose individuals and surrounding communities to serious danger.

“Do not encourage your relatives or friends to go and scoop fuel from accident scenes. It is dangerous and could cost them their lives,” he warned.

Mr Tameklo emphasised that preventing fuel-related disasters should not be left entirely to emergency responders and regulatory institutions, insisting that communities have a critical role to play in protecting lives.

He urged residents, community leaders and transport operators to actively discourage fuel scooping and ensure that accident scenes are left to the appropriate emergency services.

According to him, individuals must resist the temptation to collect spilled petroleum products, regardless of the perceived financial benefits, because the consequences could be fatal.

The NPA Chief Executive further underscored the importance of collective responsibility, encouraging Ghanaians to intervene through warnings and public education whenever friends or relatives attempt to engage in the practice.

His appeal formed part of broader efforts to promote petroleum safety awareness and responsible public behaviour during the 2026 NPA Consumer Week celebration.