The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has directed retail stations to report fire incidents in their premises within 24 hours of such occurrence or face sanctions.
The organisation said it will impose sanctions on erring operators ranging from fines to suspension of operation and revocation of licenses.
A statement from the NMDPRA said the Director, Health, Safety Environment and Community (HSEC) department of the authority, Nsikak Bassey, handed down the directive during a meeting with the safety team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Retails.
Bassey added that reports of such incidents must reach the Authority Chief Executive (ACE), Farouk Ahmed, within 48 hours.
Cases of fire outbreaks had recently been on the increase in the country, especially in Abuja where, for instance, an AA Rano filling station around Nyanya/Karu axis was burnt last Tuesday while an Enyo filling station in Wuse Zone 1, Abuja , was razed a few days earlier.
“In our effort at preventing fire outbreaks within petrol products’ filling stations across the country, the authority expects timely reporting of incidents to the nearest NMDPRA office within 24 hours and the Authority Chief Executive (ACE) within 48 hours.
“Managements of stations must refrain from tampering with evidence after incidents and must develop and strictly implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all operations such as discharging and dispensing. They must also provide adequate firefighting equipment for all facilities as well as enlist staff in MISTDO training,” the statement added.
Bassey also said operators of facilities must ensure integrity tests are conducted on Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) as enshrined in Environmental Guidelines and Standards for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria (EGASPIN) 2018.
In his response, the statement quoted the General Manager, Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Quality (HSSEQ) of NNPC Retail, Dr. Oyet Gogomery as saying that the company treats safety issues with utmost care and adhere strictly to safety guidelines.
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