18 November 2011, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Department of Petroleum Resources has threatened to withdraw the licenses of petroleum stations in Kano and Jigawa states, which do not exhibit safety consciousness in their operations.
Alhaji Sayyadi Suleiman Abubakar, the Operations Controller of the Directorate for Kano and Jigawa States, issued the threat during the 2011 annual petroleum products marketers’ meeting.
According to him, over 80 per cent of the fire accidents recorded in the sector in the last two years, occurred during the product discharging operations
He stated that investigations into various incidents in the two states revealed the lack of underground earthen system as the main cause.
He said the Directorate had consequentlt issued a directive on functionality test and the installation of Underground Storage Tank (UST) electrical earthen system, but, regretted that the directive had not been complied with by the stations, with the independent marketers in these states as the worst culprits.
Stressing that the poor attitude was not in accordance with good oil field practice, he stated that, as key players in the downstream sector, such safety issues with attendant implications on their huge investments, deserved to be treated with due seriousness.
He also warned the marketing companies against the practice of engaging the services of companies that are not registered and have not been permitted by the DPR, adding that such recruitment is in contravention of the regulation and is capable of compromising safety standards.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Bashir Bello appealed to the Directorate to take into consideration, the economic challenges in the country in the implementation of some of their directives, adding that their members are also caught up by the biting times.
He also cautioned against government’s planned removal of fuel subsidy, urging the government to give room for more dialogue with the stakeholders before going ahead with the policy.
