Peter Uzoho
Marketers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have raised safety concerns over the indiscriminate installation of gas skids (gas plants) in filling stations across the country, saying, such poses great danger to the nation.
The marketers under the umbrella of Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) said, siting gas skids in petrol filling stations was against global standards for LPG marketing.
Addressing journalists in Lagos at the end of their executive council meeting, held on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of NALPGAM, Mr. Bassey Essien, who read out the resolution of the association, appealed to the federal and state governments to intervene and bring an end to such dangerous practice.
“We wish to draw the attention of the federal and state governments on the increasingly indiscriminate deployment of LPG skids at petrol stations and retail outlets without taking into consideration the risk element in this.
“That we align our association’s position with all relevant agencies, particularly the Department of Petroleum Resources, in their bid to curb this increasing menace.
“We as well appeal to the government that, in as much as the association is doing so much to complement the deepening of LPG consumption in Nigeria, we are asking the government to create an enabling environment for players in the industry, so that we can actually go further to encourage further embrace and usage of LPG in many households in the country”.
Essien, however, said the Nigerian LPG was growing in an exponential manner, saying, the number of households that have embraced LPG has risen significantly as against what it was last five years.
He commended the federal government for the removal of VAT on domestic LPG in Nigeria, saying it had been helpful in deepening LPG usage in the country.
He also appealed to the government to accord the association due representation in matters relating to discussions and resolutions about the LPG sub-sector in which they are critical stakeholders in.
Also, a member of NALPGAM executive council, Mr. John Yakubu, while reiterating the dangers associated with installing gas plants in filling stations, lamented the lack of technology to prevent gas from leaking at the point of disengagement.
“What we have across the world is LPG bottling plants and not filling stations. For an LPG plant to be established, there are certain standards that have to be met by the operator: either the operator has a mini LPG bottling plant or an LPG bottling plant. There is nowhere fire and petrol will go together anywhere in the world.
“We are appealing to those deploying the skids either by their filling stations to adhere strictly to standard operating procedure as laid down by DPR.
“We should not because of profit set the nation on fire. There is no place in the world where LPG is sold together with petrol in the world. This is our position.”
