OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has given Lagos zone fuel station owners three months – July to September – to renew and regularise their operating licences, warning that it would shut unlicenced stations.
Mr. Ayorinde Cardoso, Zonal operations controller, DPR, revealed the development in Lagos.
According to him, the three months window was allowed following interventions by industry stakeholders.
A DPR taskforce had recently shutdown 140 filling stations and 27 gas plants for operating without valid licences.
However, Cardoso said the DPR decided to permit the owners of the petroleum products retail outlets to reopen for business after pleas by several operators.
According to him, it had met with the representatives of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, over the issue.
“The affected operators have been given a three-month window for the renewal/regularisation of their operating licences within the zone.
“This is in line with the department’s drive of being a business enabler and opportunity house,” Cardoso said.
The DPR taskforce had during the two-day exercise visited a total of 380 facilities.
He assured that the DPR would continue to ensure safety in selling and distribution of petroleum products to reduce incidents of explosion in the state.
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