Stakeholders seek closure of illegal plants, retail outlets

Petroleum stakeholders have urged the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other regulatory agencies to close all illegal plants, retail outlets and facility layouts that did not adhere strictly to safety procedures.

They maintained that such closure would enable the agencies review their operations and ensure proper location of ignition sources such as generator and avoid fire outbreaks.

Besides, the stakeholders urged petroleum marketers and regulators to adhere strictly to the laws and guidelines to avoid fire outbreak.

In a communique issued at the end of the Annual General Meeting (AGM), the stakeholders, which include petroleum marketers and security agencies, urged marketers to ensure they renewed their licences regularly.

Speaking at the event, the Acting Director of Petroleum Resources, Ahmad Rufai Shakur, says the objective of the meeting is to make sure oil and gas operations are done safely, the environment conserved and community issues addressed.

Shakur, represented by the Operation Controller, Yenagoa Field Office, Mrs. Ufondu Ejiro, admonished regulators and other stakeholders to put in place a functional, effective and a continuous review, regular inspection and improvement on commitment to safe operations.

“Profitability and safe operations can be achieved together, we have to do everything in our power to ensure that together we deliver safe operations in Bayelsa State.

“The good news so far is that in Bayelsa State, we have not had any accident but across the country, we have had several accidents and more than 20 people have died.

“So, we now have a good safety records here in Bayelsa and we are striving that with this yearly general meeting, all our efforts with the stakeholders working together will continue to lead the way in safety in this country.”

Also, Bayelsa State Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Erefamote Peters, in his speech, said operators could achieve ‘safe operation’ by adhering to standard operating procedures.

He said the safe operation procedure had outlined the preferred and safest methods of performing task in the oil and gas industry.

He said: “Safe operations are of utmost importance to we the stakeholders, just as regulatory compliance is a veritable tool for safe, effective and efficient operations in the oil and gas industry.

“Over the years, regrettable mistakes due to non-compliance to SOPs/Safety Guidelines have led to collapse of businesses in the industry.”