The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has shut down 19 illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, Victor Ohwodiasa, stated that the outlets were sealed within the past two weeks.
According to him, the affected facilities were located in Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Warri, and surrounding areas. Category D LPG operators typically refill gas from licensed plants for customer pickup within local communities.
Ohwodiasa explained that the closures were due to violations such as operating without necessary approvals and setting up facilities in unsafe locations.
“During the operations, about 28 illegal outlets were spotted by the authorities. We tried to see if it is possible to have them regularised as they were wrongly sited.
“The outlet that was sealed in Ogwashi-Ukwu was a five metric tonnes refilling plant constructed on a roadside closed to a high tension cables.
“The authority looked at the environment, it was wrongly sited on a right of way and has no approval. It was sealed and a relocation order issued immediately.
“Other offenders were the ones doing what we called, “decanting”, meaning bottle to bottle transfer. We do not allow that.
“What they are expected to do is “bottle swap”, bring your empty cylinder and go with a filled one,” he said.
The coordinator emphasized that the exercise was not intended to hinder small-scale gas business owners but to ensure they operate in a safe and secure environment.
Ohwodiasa urged landlords to refrain from leasing spaces to Category D LPG operators engaging in illegal activities on their properties.
He explained that the goal is to prevent potential fire outbreaks that could endanger lives and properties, including those of operators and their neighbors.
He reaffirmed NMDPRA’s commitment to safeguarding lives and properties through strict regulatory enforcement.
“Imaging someone storing cooking gas close to where welding operation is taking place or where a woman is frying beans cake or roasting corn. Once there is a leakage, the resultant effect will be catastrophic.
“If the operator of the illegal outlet does not appreciate his life, it is our duty to ensure he does not kill himself and others by illegally operating such a facility,” he said.
Ohwodiasa stated that the regulatory authority would sustain the enforcement exercise in the state and warned that violators would face the full consequences of the law.
He added that any offender who refuses to relocate their facility would be handed over to the appropriate security agencies for prosecution.
The coordinator urged the public to report anyone involved in transferring cooking gas from one cylinder to another to the NMDPRA for prompt action, emphasizing, “Help us to serve you better.”
Assuring that the agency would continue sensitizing operators, Ohwodiasa noted that NMDPRA holds annual stakeholder engagements with gas plant owners and Category D operators.
He also highlighted the authority’s efforts in airing public awareness jingles on radio and television to educate people on safe handling of cooking gas due to its volatility.
Ohwodiasa expressed gratitude to NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Ahmed Farouk, for his unwavering support of the agency’s operations in the state.
………
Note : To submit Press Releases, Statements, and Advert Inquiries for publication on Waffi blog (website) or Television 📺, please use the following contact details: You can send an email to info@waffitv.com or reach us via Whatsapp at 07068286500