- Safety: DPR Shuts 19 Gas Plants in Ogun
The Department of Petroleum Resources, Abeokuta Field Office, says it has shut down 19 Liquefied Petroleum Gas and skid plants in Ogun State over their failure to adhere to safety standards and operating without approval.
The Operation Controller of DPR, Abeokuta Field Office, Muinat Bello-Zagi, stated this on Monday in Abeokuta at a meeting with the leadership and members of LPG Skid Owners Association, Ogun State chapter.
She said the department carried out the sealing of the defaulting gas plants during a two-week safety surveillance of LPG and skid plants in Mowe, Magboro, Abeokuta, Sagamu, Isheri-Olofin and Ijebu-Ode.
Bello-Zagi added that four operators were arrested and handed over to the operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
She told journalists that the affected gas plants were either operating without licences or failed to abide by the stipulated safety standards of the DPR.
She said the DPR would continue to engage gas plant operators in the state on the essence of adhering strictly to safety standards.
Bello-Zagi stated that a sum of N1m had been slammed as fine on each of the three operators who broke the seal of the DPR placed on their premises.
She said, “The DPR will continue to ensure that gas plant owners and skid operators in the state abide strictly by our safety standards; this is because the DPR has zero tolerance for safety lapses. In two weeks, our surveillance team was able to seal 19 LPG plants and skid outlets across the state for operating without licences or approval.
“Others were sealed for not abiding with safety standards as laid down by the department. Some are located very close to ignition sources and under high tension wires, while some are located close to bakeries.”
She added, “In fact, some skid outlets will be dismantled because they contravene the DPR’s safety procedure, which stipulates that a skid should be constructed on a minimum of two plots of land and observation of at least 15 metres’ distance to any source of ignition.
“As a department, we will continue to engage stakeholders in this sector to ensure safety of lives and property.”
The state Chairman, LPG Skid Owners Association, Alhaji Suraju Adebisi, commended the DPR for organising the meeting, stating that the body was ready to collaborate with it to ensure safety.
