Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

Stakeholders ask FG to check indiscriminate deployment of cooking gas at fuel stations

By Femi Adekoya 
18 September 2019   |   4:07 am
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the indiscriminate deployment of LPGs, otherwise known as cooking gas...

Cooking gas

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the indiscriminate deployment of LPGs, otherwise known as cooking gas, to filling stations and retail outlets without addressing the risks involved.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NALPGAM, Bassey Essien, at a press briefing in Lagos, urged all relevant government agencies particularly the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to curb the menace.

In his words: “We also want the federal government to create the enabling environment for players in the industry to deepen the utilisation of LPG. We are also appealing to the government in terms of the representation that have been made on behalf of the industry has not been inclusive.

“The industry has not been well represented when issues are being discussed with the government. There are several facets of the value chain and we are requesting that in subsequent dialogues and discussions, every facet must be represented.”

According to him, the Nigerian LPG market is growing exponentially and increasingly being embraced by Nigerians, as such, the number of household that have embraced LPG has increased compared to the past five years.

He however commended the federal government for the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on domestic LPG in Nigeria, saying that this would further encourage local manufacturers in the LPG industry while also deepening LPG utilisation and commercialisation in the country.

The Deputy president, NALPGAM, Olatunbosun Oladapo, said DPR has given a deadline to all skid owners to relocate their skids from the filling stations by end of the year, maintaining that the move was laudable to safeguard lives and property.

“We are significant stakeholders in this business and we cannot be left out. Our interest must be adequately represented. Nobody feels the pain like we do, we are the ones wearing the shoe. We have invested huge resources into the business and we know what we do to get gas to end users. Portfolio investors should not be the ones representing us to make decisions about the way to improve the usage of gas in Nigeria,” he added.

A council member, NALPGAM, John Yakubu, said there is no technology to prevent leaking of gas at the point of disengagement during filling of gas into cylinders.

“What we have across of 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 a LPG bottling plant. There is no where fire and petrol will go together anywhere in the world,” he said

“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,” he stressed.

0 Comments