Worried by the untoward activities of black marketers, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has warned those indulging in illegal sales of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to desist from it henceforth.
Operations Controller, DPR, Warri Zonal Office, Mr Antai Asuquo, gave the warning at the 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the DPR, Warri Zonal Office last Thursday at Ugboroke community near Warri, Delta State.
Addressing newsmen at the sideline, Asuquo said that the action was discouraging to the LPG business operators, disclosing that the Federal Government had committed so many resources to grow and expand gas utilisation in the country.
“Black market gas distribution portend a serious danger to the gas sector. The sector is one the Federal Government is putting resources to grow and expand gas utilisation in the country.
“When we have this incidence, it discourages people. We must ensure this business is done in a safe and sustainable manner and that is one of the essences of this AGM.
“We will continue to increase our surveillance activities to ensure sharp practices in the downstream sector is eliminated. We encourage the public to notify us whenever they notice any illegality.
“We have destroyed some locations and barred some trucks from lifting products.
“Henceforth, we will impound the trucks involved and the company will take full responsibilities of their drivers,” he vowed.
Asuquo said that the meeting was to share ideas with the stakeholders in the downstream on the way forward.
In his opening address, Engr Sarki Auwalu, Director/CEO of DPR urged stakeholders in the Oil and Gas Industry to key into the Federal Government’s Electronic Platform and Information Technology Application to improve the efficiency of their operations.
Auwalu was represented by Mr Bassey Nkanga, DPR, Operations Controller, Port Harcourt Zonal Office.
He said that the platform was rolled out to add values to the stakeholders’ operational activities and also improve the ease of doing business.
“These electronic tools are being deployed in phases. They are software with multiple interfaces that enables interactions on operations activities between stakeholders.
“This is in accordance with the government’s mantra of improving ease of doing business and digitalisation of processes in all the sectors of the economy.
“I urged you to take advantage of this opportunity by adopting and utilising these tools in your operations for improved efficiency and sustainable development of the sector in accordance with global best practices,” he said.
The theme of the event was: “Oil and Gas Safe Operations and Compliance: DPR a Business Enabler.”
Auwalu urged the stakeholders to develop dynamic safety culture in order to carry out their operations safely noting that safety could be achieved through compliance to the rules and regulations of the regulatory agency.
“Compliance to the rules and regulations will promote safe operations and also maximise your profit. Safety culture cannot be bought, you craft it your self.
“DPR is committed to engaging all stakeholders to promote safety culture and continue to comply with the petroleum laws, regulations and guidelines in the Oil and Gas Industry,” Auwalu said.
Mr Amalu Tobechukwu from the department of Establishment, Monitoring and Regulations, DPR Warri office while presenting the activities of the department urged the operators to avoid LPG Cylinder to Cylinder rebotling and decanting.
He also said that DPR has commenced online application system to ease the process of filing applications and urged the stakeholders to take advantage of it.
Mr Tamigbe Francis, Divisional Fire Officer, Warri Fire Station urged stakeholders to have fire extinguishers in their business premises.
In attendance were representatives from Matrix Energy, IPMAN, NUPENG, NPA, Delta Ministry of Land and Survey, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta among others.
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