Fire outbreak: DPR goes tough on illegal gas operators in Ogun

As part of its mandate to forestall fire outbreaks resulting from gas explosions, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Abeokuta Field Office, has vowed to sanction operators of illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) facilities in Ogun State.

The DPR Operations Controller, Alhaja Muinat Bello – Zagi disclosed this at the weekend while sensitizing market leaders, drawn from six LGAs in Ijebuland, on the usage and safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Ijebu – Ode.

Bello-Zagi said the Department had sealed four “illegal and unsafe LPG facilities in the wake of fire incidents recorded in some parts of the state.

She said the sealed outfits were located at Egba Owode and Ofada in Obafemi /Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The Operations Controller who expressed concern over indiscriminate sitting of gas outlets or lack of proper adherence to laid down safety rules, noted that LPG outfits should be cited 15 metres away from any source of ignition.

According to her, the DPR officials would continue to shut down illegal and unsafe gas outfits in line with its mandate.

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“Those that are flouting the guidelines with regard to the LPG, the first thing we do once we discover it, we shut down the facility because we don’t want an unpleasant situation to occur and we shall continue to do that. We also have some punitive sanctions and fines.

“But before we find them, the first thing we do is to shut down such an unsafe and illegal outfit. Like the one we did some days ago at Egba – Owode and Ofada, we sealed four illegal skip gas operating outfits for being unsafe and we shall continue to do that. We are committed to our mandate and we will continue to do that,” Bello – Zagi said.

The Operations Controller, however, appealed to the market men and women to be mindful of safety precautions in order to forestall avoidable disaster.

In his remarks, the Babaloja – General Designate, Akile Ijebu, Otunba Toyin Abass described the sensitisation as amazing and promised to reinforce the knowledge on market men and women across Ijebuland.

He equally challenged the DPR officials to ensure the programme is taken to the nooks and crannies of the state to ensure its effectiveness.