Vivo Energy Ghana has called for heightened emergency preparedness across the petroleum sector, stressing that effective safety management goes beyond preventing accidents to ensuring rapid and coordinated responses when incidents occur.

The company made the call during its 2026 Safety Day celebration held at Airport Shell in Accra on Thursday, 11 June 2026, under the theme, “Prepare to Respond”.

The event brought together regulators, transporters, contractors, retailers, business partners and employees to reinforce a culture of safety throughout the fuel distribution value chain.

A major highlight of the programme was a live emergency simulation exercise designed to test response coordination, communication systems and decision-making processes in the event of a major industrial incident.

Addressing participants, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, underscored the importance of safety in an industry where operational failures can have severe consequences for lives, property and the environment.

“In our industry, safety is not optional. Before a tanker moves, before a nozzle is lifted, before a product reaches a customer, critical safety decisions are made,” she said.

Professor Klutse noted that many incidents across the global petroleum industry have been linked to weaknesses in risk assessment, transport safety and operational controls.

According to her, organisations must not only focus on preventing accidents but must also strengthen their ability to respond effectively when emergencies occur.

“True safety leadership is not only about preventing incidents, but also about being prepared to respond effectively,” she said.

She stressed the need for continuous investment in safety training, emergency response systems, risk assessment and strict Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ) standards.

The EPA boss highlighted critical safety measures such as fire suppression systems, emergency shut-off valves, site-specific response plans, routine drills, audits and preventive maintenance, warning that systems which are not tested regularly provide only a false sense of security.

“A safety system that is not tested or maintained is not protection; it is a false assurance,” she said.

Professor Klutse commended Vivo Energy Ghana for maintaining high safety standards, revealing that the company has surpassed 5,600 Goal Zero days without harm.

She described the achievement as a reflection of discipline, accountability and a collective commitment to ensuring employees, contractors and partners return home safely every day.

The EPA chief further called on transporters, service station operators, contractors and employees to remain vigilant, comply fully with safety protocols and intervene whenever unsafe conditions are identified.

“Someone else’s incident is our warning,” she said, urging stakeholders to learn from accidents within the industry and proactively address potential risks.

Speaking to journalists after the event, the Managing Director of Vivo Energy Ghana, Christian Li, said the company’s safety record was the result of years of consistent commitment from employees and stakeholders.

“We are celebrating the people and stakeholders who help us to be who we are today. We are celebrating more than 15 years without injury. We have been able to protect our communities, our employees and our environment,” Li said.

He explained that this year’s theme was intended to emphasise the importance of emergency readiness in addition to accident prevention.

“Over and above being proactive, we want to ensure all the safety devices and all the safety processes are in place and working so that if there is any issue, we can react not only for ourselves but for the communities and stakeholders we work with,” he said.

Li described safety as a continuous learning journey, noting that Vivo Energy Ghana constantly reviews operational experiences and industry incidents to strengthen systems and improve preparedness.

“Every unsafe condition is a warning to us. We learn from ourselves, we learn from the industry and we train our people continuously so that we remain safe and keep our environment safe,” he added.

As part of the celebration, Vivo Energy Ghana honoured employees, contractors and business partners who demonstrated outstanding commitment to safety excellence.

The company said it remains committed to strengthening its safety culture and ensuring that preparedness, accountability and operational discipline continue to guide every aspect of its business.