THE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR ) in Kogi State have sealed off five gas stations for operating without valid license in the state.
The Operation Controller, DPR Lokoja field office , Engr Idris Zangi Mohammed who led the operations to Kabba in Kabba-Bunu local government area of Kogi state, lamented that some of the gas stations in the area operate very close to schools and residential areas thereby constituting danger to the people living in the environment.
“In the cause of discharging our statutory obligations of ensuring that gas marketers in the state comply with the lay down procedure and regulations of DPR, our surveillance team moved to Kabba town and discovered that five gas stations ran foul of the law.
“Some of the cooking gas stations operates in an illegal environment and we are able to seal two AOC gas stations along Iya junction in Kabba for operating without licence and the station was built on combustible materials. A gas station sited on NTA road in the same town was sealed in November 2019 for operating illegally but selling the product secretly we have resealed the station .
“Also sealed are two branches of Bolaat cooking gas stations at AP filling station in Kabba and Aiyetoro Gbede for lack of operation licence. A gas station located at Kolode quarters very close to Saint Paul primary school was sealed for operating at residential area” the DPR controller said.
While advising the operators of gas stations in the town to go to DPR officer to enable the agency inspect their facilities, Engineer Mohammed said the marketers can not operate gas stations without adhering to the lay down procedure of the agency.
“It is a must for marketers to comply with the law or they close their businesses. In as much as the government want them to operate, it is imperative in the interest of the safety of Nigerian citizens to operate within the ambit of the law.
“There is a guideline that stipulated distance between the source of heat and the gas stations. We will revisit the guideline and do the needful to cut sharp practices” he stated.
Mr James Adetunji a resident of Kolode quarters while speaking to newsmen expressed worries over the indiscriminate ways of selling cooking gas in residential areas without recourse for safety.
He commended the DPR surveillance team for checking and monitoring the operation of cooking gas dealers in Kabba, urging them to extend similar check to other local government area within Kogi western senatorial district.
