Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Ogun State has given marching orders to gas plant owners and operators to evacuate all Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants domiciled in filling stations within six months or risk being sanctioned.
The Operations Controller, Mrs Muinat Bello-Zagi, gave the order in Abeokuta, the state capital, at a meeting with members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ijebu Zone, on Wednesday.
Bello-Zagi said that the directive, which came via a memo from the national headquarters of the DPR, stated that all filling stations with existing LPG facility (popularly known as “Add-On”) without necessary approval should, as a matter of urgency, evacuate.
She warned that within the six months, which serves as a period of evacuation plans, no sales should be made, just as all plans should be made known to the Department for necessary approval.
The memo, according to her, also directed that all applications for LPG Add-On facilities for the refilling of gas cylinders in retail outlets should not be received henceforth.
The directive, however, pointed out that retail outlets with existing Add-On facilities for the refilling of gas cylinders with a valid permit to operate issued by the DPR should continue operations till December 31, 2020.
“Retail outlets with existing approval to operate Add-On facilities must be converted to auto-gas, only for vehicular use, which must be in compliance with new LPG guidelines,” Bello-Zagi said.
“The validity date of December 2020 should be specified in the case of renewal of permit to operate the existing LPG Add-On facilities”.
Responding on behalf of IPMAN, the Vice Chairman of the association, Fatai Soewu commended the Department for ensuring sanity in the oil and gas sector in the state.
Soewu, who noted that the DPR directives were in the interest of the association, promised to ensure compliance among his members.