Fire incidents: DPR takes sensitisation campaign to traders

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Abeokuta Field Office, has warned operators of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facilities in Ogun State to adhere strictly to the agency’s guidelines to forestall disaster.

DPR’s warning came in the wake of several fire incidents recorded lately in some parts of the state.

The DPR Operations Controller, Abeokuta Field Office, Alhaja Muinat Bello-Zagi, gave the warning on Monday in Ijebu-Ode while sensitizing market leaders drawn from six local government areas in Ijebuland on the usage and safety of cooking gas.

Bello-Zagi expressed worry that gas dealers had been flouting DPR guidelines with regard to their operations, which she described as “dangerous to the society.”

The Operations Controller noted that a number of operators had not complied with the DPR guidelines on the location of liquefied petroleum gas outfit 15 metres away from any source of ignition.

She disclosed that DPR officials sealed four “illegal and unsafe” skid gas operating outfits at Egba Owode and Ofada in Obafemi /Owode local government area, adding that DPR officials would continue to shut down illegal and unsafe gas outfits, in line with its mandate.

“Those that are flouting the guidelines with regard to the LPG, the first thing we will do once we discover it is to shut down the facility because we don’t want an unpleasant situation to occur. We also have some punitive sanctions and fines. We are committed to our mandate and we will continue to do that,” Bello-Zagi said.

The Operations Controller urged the market men and women to be guided always by safety precautions in order to prevent avoidable disasters.

The Babaloja-General (Head Trader) designate, Akile Ijebu, Otunba Toyin Abass, described the sensitisation campaign as “amazing” and promised to impress it on market men and women across Ijebu land.