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LAGOS: 103 filling stations, 13 gas plants sealed – DPR

THE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 103 illegal filling stations and 13 gas plants in Lagos.

The regulator said the illegal filling stations and gas plants, located both on the mainland and island axis of Lagos, were shut down for operating without a valid license and for non-compliance with DPR guidelines and international safety standards respectively.

Zonal Operations Controller of the agency for Lagos, Ayorinde Cardoso, made the disclosure on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, pointing out that the outlets were shut down after a surveillance exercise by DPR task force teams on Monday.

Cardoso stated further, ”This is a continuous exercise by the DPR to improve safety in selling and distribution of LPG in Lagos State. The task force visited 216 facilities and observed that 103 petroleum products retail outlets lacked the prerequisite approval and were subsequently shut down,” he said.

He also disclosed that the LPG (cooking gas) plants were shut down for operating without prerequisite approval or license from the regulatory agency.

The DPR Zonal controller went on to say that some of the sealed plants were operating in unapproved locations, stressing that the move was aimed at reducing the occurrence of gas explosion and fire incidents in Lagos.

Recall that earlier in March 2021, the DPR announced that it shut down 86 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants in Lagos State in 2020 for operating illegally.

Prior to the recent shutdown operation, DPR and even the Lagos State Government had sealed off gas stations that have been operating illegally or without approval.

There have been several reported cases of explosions at gas stations in the state with several fatalities and destruction of properties.

The state government, in its bid to mitigate the growing number of incidents, announced a ban on the location of gas plants in residential areas.

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