By Janet A Sesay
The All Petroleum products (APP) Limited has engaged community stakeholders and different organisations on environmental, social and health impact assessment (ESHIA,) over the construction of a mega oil and gas station at Levuma Beach, Goodrich community in Freetown.
The engagement took place at the Savanna Beach Restaurant at Goderich. APP has been established to set up world class downstream oil and gas operations in Sierra Leone.
The company intends to take over oil refinery at Kissy Terminal for the purpose of providing a strategic petroleum products reserve for the economy with a long-term view of building a modular refinery and making substantial initial investment in Sierra Leone.
During the engagement, Sheik Ahmed Tunis from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said in 2008 government passed a law that made it mandatory for every company to make public disclosure to show how projects will impact social well- being of the people in the country and at the same time do assessment.
Sheik Tunis urged the community people to bring out issues by showing how the projects would impact their lives.
In his contribution, Charles Mere Weather Thompson, Chief Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry says the ministry is responsible for trade and business in the country and that they also deal with issues relating to petroleum.
The ministry, he says, is not only responsible for market and business but also to ensure that market products are available in all parts of the country and that these projects improve the lives of citizens.
Mr Mere also said he was happy for such project and its location noting that no standard petrol station is in Goderich community. “This is a very great development that will benefit the people of Goderich community,” he emphasised.
He therefore appealed to the people of Goderich to embrace the project noting that it will bring gains for the community.
A representative from the Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Jaya Musa said that the petroleum industry would surely boost the country’s economic situation. He said plans of building more storage facilities in the country were underway.
APP Managing Director in Sierra Leone, Patrick O’ Dwyer thanked the government of Sierra Leone to open the market and members of the community for embracing the project.
Mr O’Dwyer said at the outset of the project initially, they received a number of complaints, but noted that the number has fallen down drastically, a situation he greatly appreciates.
He said they had been constructing 14-point mega station with a car wash as well as a long held Shape building with a restaurant and a standard toilet.
He said that there would be enough parking spaces for customers visiting the project.
He also appreciated the effort of his partners especially Philip Oshotse who is the Chief Executive Officer for APP for his support by investing his money in the project and for the confidence he reposed in him.
“We suit out for the best and that is our aim” he said.
The supermarket, Mr O’Dwyer assured, would be a very big and standard one adding that the petrol station would curtail the petrol crisis in the country. He also informed the audience that they were already in touch with foreign countries in this project.
Mr O’Dwyer also assured that the company would put up another great building at Jui, adding that they had been working on six sites in the east and every part of the country.
“We will soon have quality products in the country and a first- class supermarket,” Mr O’Dwyer assured.