The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has revealed why the filling station and seven unlicensed liquefied petroleum Gas refilling plants were shut down in Rivers State.
According to sources, the facilities were shut down due to selling of sub-standard products to the people.
In its bid to prevent loss of lives and properties, the DPR officials disclosed the shutting down of the facilities at a two-day meeting with stake holders in the downstream sector. The meeting, marking the first of its kind centered on dispensing quality products.
In his key note address, the DPR Zonal Controller, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Bassey Nkanga stressed on the importance of selling standard products.
He said: “There is a station now in Aluu that is shut down because one of the products they are selling does not meet our specifications and a good Nigerian called us because his vehicle had problem.
“We rushed to shut down the station and we have concluded our investigations and working to see how we can make sure that that particular specification is corrected. If possible the station will go back to business if not it will remain shut.
“Another team is out checking the validity of the license of LPG refilling plant and also checking to ensure that these safety requirements we are preaching are met. So that team is already out as at last week since we started we’ have shut down about seven LPG plant operating without a valid license.”
He however assured that the DPR would enlighten operators on the importance of safety measures to avoid fire outbreak and other disasters during the festive period.
He said: “Knowing the period we are entering and it is full of activities and we needed to at least sensitize and prepare our stakeholders especially the operators of the downstream sub-sector in both petroleum product and gas and to ensure that they keep their houses in order in terms of making sure that safety requirements are met in their operations.
“As you can see during the presentation we have let them know certain things they must know, do and put in place to ensure that no incidence happens in our area especially during this time and beyond.”
