The Department of Petroleum Resources
(DPR), Oshogbo field office has sealed another set of 29 Liquefied Petroleum
Gas (LPG) facilities for operating without valid licences in the state.
Mr Olusegun Daboh, DPR’s Head of Operations, disclosed this
in an interview with newsmen on Sunday the 2nd of February 2020 in Oshogbo.
Daboh said the illegal gas stations were sealed at Ile-Ife, Ikire, Ejigbo, Iwo,
Ila-Orangun, Ede, Gbongan and Ode-Omu towns respectively.
However, He added also that the department during its routine surveillance discovered that many gas stations were operating without genuine licences and within residential areas. Daboh, who noted that proliferation of illegal gas stations in the state had reached a worrisome level adding that the agency would continue to clamp down on all the illegal gas plants in the state.
Daboh said however that “Most of this gas plants were not only illegal but
did not meet safety guidelines on the establishment of gas plants. And as an
agency mandated with responsibility of ensuring safety in oil and gas industry,
we cannot fold our arms and watch people operates illegally.
“As matter of fact, we are giving all
the illegal gas skid operators in the state till the end of February to close
shop, while those with expired licences should come for renewal. We are not
saying they should not do their businesses, but they must be ready to follow
the required safety. “This attitude of operating illegally cannot be tolerated
and that is why our surveillance team will not leave any stone unturned in its
bid to ensure that safety standards were maintained in the gas business across
the state”,
