DPR urges cooking gas retailers to obtain license, adhere to safety regulations

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has urged retailers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (cooking gas), to get requisite registration license and adhere to safety directives.

Mr Muhammad Makera, the DPR Operations Controller, Sokoto Field Office, made the call at a Stakeholders Meeting on Safe Handling of LPG facilities in Sokoto on Tuesday.

It was reported that the Sokoto Field Office is supervising Sokoto and Kebbi states.

He warned that the department would clampdown on unlicensed retailers in the states as part of measures to enforce the law regulating LPG’s business.

“In Kebbi and Sokoto states, there are no fewer than 10 LPG Refilling Plants.

“DPR has outlined standard procedures on how to handle the LPG at all levels, stakeholders also have great roles to play in educating retailers and other users for ensuring safe communities,” Makera said.

According to him, the registration fee for Refilling Plant is N10,000 while retailer outlet pays N5,000 describing the amounts as affordable.

He explained that the meeting was also convened to complement Federal Government efforts on struggle against desertification and tackling climate change.

He solicited for the cooperation of the retailers in order to help the LPG sector move to the next level.

He added that enforcement of the regulations was necessary considering the rate at which more LPG shops mostly handled by untrained and unlicensed retailers were coming up.

Makera said the attendant result of the negligence of enforcement of regulations had led to several fire outbreaks.

“Retailers should not be located within markets and open places such as near meat (Suya) sellers, beans cake friers and others.

“Retailers should also have bucket of sharp sand, well ventilated shop, display of appropriate warning signs and emergency numbers and distance from fire sources,” he said.

A Resource Person, Mr Mustapha Mudassir, an official from DPR, said the essence of the safety meeting was to acquaint stakeholders with basic fire fighting skills in case of any fire outbreak.

Mudassir urged retailers to assit DPR in tackling indescriminate use of substandard and expired Gas Cylinders by consumers.

He said retailers operation were from 6a.m to 6 p.m and physical preventives should always be in place, not only sign boards.

He presented detail fire approach in case of emergency and other safety presentations of different categories of handlers.

It was reported that the event was attendended by Director General, Sokoto State Fire Service, Mr Murtala Muhammad, Sokoto State Commandant of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Umar Musa, as well as oil and gas marketers.

There were also interactive sessions on various safety issues.