The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Ogun on Thursday warned marketers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) operating illegally in the state to desist or face strict sanctions.
The Operations Controller, Mrs Muinat Bello-Zagi, spoke during a strategic engagement meeting with relevant agencies and stakeholders in Abeokuta.
She said that the meeting was called to address the proliferation of illegal gas retailers and skid owners, as well as illegal petrol marketers in the state.
She noted that though the Federal Government was encouraging the use of LPG, some operators were not following laid down guidelines which, according to her, made their operations illegal.
Bello-Zagi said the DPR understood the ease of doing business but urged these illegal operators to do the needful as the the Department would not compromise safety for anyone.
“Some of them have attributed their wrongdoings to the socioeconomic effects occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources wants the deepening of LPG penetration but these operators are not going through the proper channel and this makes their operations illegal.
“We will continue to enforce and sanction. We’ve been sealing quite a number of them and we’ll continue to do so.
“Some of our agencies and stakeholders have also noticed these lapses and so we decided to come together to discuss how we can improve our services and it has been fruitful,” she said.
The DPR controller also said that some petroleum marketers had moved from “25 to 30 kilometres” away from border towns to site filling stations without proper approval.
The federal government had in November 2019 ordered that fuel stations close to the land borders should no longer get petroleum products supply in order to ensure strict compliance with border closure.
She explained that the stakeholders meeting was important to further collaborate on how to regularise the operations of some illegal operators in the state to ensure safe environment.
“Once a proponent, especially someone that is into illegality, knows that all agencies governing his or her operation are aware of what they’re doing, it will reduce illegality,” she added.
Also speaking, Mr Fatai Adefala, Director, Ogun State Fire Services, expressed optimism that the meeting would promote further collaborative efforts of government.
He said the agencies would work together as a team to achieve what other states could emulate and reproduce.
The stakeholders at the meeting included Ogun Fire Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, among others.
