By Auwal Ahmad
Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Gombe State Field office, Northeast of the country, has warned petroleum marketers in the State to equip their stations with laid down safety tools or risk losing their licenses.
The State Controller, Abdullahi Abawa, gave the warning during an interactive session with marketers of Petroleum products in Gombe on Tuesday.
He said DPR had been patient with marketers for a long time in the State especially, Liquefied Petroleum Gasoline (LPG) retailers on safety measures in their sales outlets to no avail, adding that the warning is coming in the face of fatalities recorded as a result of accidents involving petroleum products in stations and on transit.
“when we wanted to take a decisive action against them, their association prevailed on us that the State Government is in the process of providing a plot of land for them so, we had to soft pedal. But we have given them a timeline now considering disasters recorded around in some parts of the country.
“it is also mandatory for all marketing companies to play a significant role in ensuring that they comply with the health and safety environment requirements to ensure safety practice.
Also speaking, Representative of Major marketers in Gombe Mr. Mike Ayo, commended DPR for the enlightenment meeting which he said very timely especially on the aspect of safety. He said, “Safety is the most important thing in this industry”.
A gas dealer, Mr. Uche Okeke, said the Government had promised the association a land to operate just as some of them had made moves for license to DPR for gas refilling stations because their present place of operation is not conducive.
Independent Marketers Brand of Gas, Adamu Saleh said they were impressed by the interaction adding that constant conduct of such interaction will eliminate most of the grievances which were expressed.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/01/09/news/nigeria-department-of-petroleum-resources-dispenses-seized-fuel-free-to-motorists-seals-stations/