The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket Field Office, has called on the state government to support the fight against illegal gas plants in the state.
The Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Mr Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye made the call on Monday in Uyo.
Kingsley-Sundaye said that the state government should be involved by telling the owners of the illegal gas plants to remove their businessesas as most of them did not have engineering and safety environmental standards.
“Why we want the state government to be involved is that the state government, by the Nigeria Land Use Act, the use of land is in the hand of state government apart from the Federal Territory Abuja.
“We need the support of the state government to ensure that Akwa Ibom gets rid of illegal gas outlets in the state,” kingsley-Sundaye said.
He maintained that the department was aware of illegal gas plants since last year and they had written to the state government for support.
“We have heard what happened in Kadunna, we have heard what happened in Lagos, we cannot sit and wait for such to happen in Akwa Ibom.
“The illegal gas plants business did not have engineering and safety environmental standards, they are not known by law and they did not also not comply with both International or Local guidelines,” he explained.
Kingsley-Sundaye said that the illegal gas plants business would not be allowed in the state, adding; “It is resellers business (cylinder exchange) that is allowed and meets engineering and safety environmental standards.
He condemned in strong terms the proliferation of illegal gas plants springing up in residential areas across the state.
The Operation Controller said that the department had organised sensitisation workshop to educate owners of illegal gas outlets on the dangers of gas plants in the state.
He explained that the department had sealed a lot of the illegal gas plants with the support of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the state.
