Charles Nwaoguji and Tony John, Port Harcourt

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has carried out sensitisation campaign to educate members of the public on the danger of exhibiting ignorance on the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanks and vessels. 

The Director General/Chief Executive,  SON,  Mr.  Osita Aboloma, stated this recently, at the general sensitisation on the agency’s ‘Certification of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Tanks and Vessels’ held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Aboloma, who spoke through the Regional Coordinator of SON, Sale Babaji, said it was important to carry out the enlightenment campaign because members of the public seem not to have known the danger inherant in using gas tanks at homes.

He said: “We have to sensitise the people about the standard of Liquefied Petroleum Gas tank and vessel. These are areas where nobody cares about what they are doing.

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“ We use it on daily basis. But, we do not care to know the components. We don’t care to know the danger involved and the advantages, and how to protect ourselves from  danger. “So, SON feels it is a duty,  as part of our mandate to meet our stakeholders and sensitize members of the public.  It is a sort of capacity building,” Aboloma explained.

He disclosed that the Act that established agency empowers it to carry out enforcement on any company operating and producing any substandard items.

“The Act has given us too much power.  But, we don’t start with arrest.  We start with sensitizing the people because, when people do not know,  you look stupid, if you are there to enforce”.

He advised: “We (referring to LPG dealers) should know what we are doing.  We should not be surcharging our customers.  We should do it rightly.  That is what is required”.

In his presentation, the Coordinator, Rivers/Bayelsa State, SON, Engr. Ololade Ayoola, said SON certified LPG as more hygiene to be used at home,  describing it is the fastest combustible energy.