By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – In a move aimed at enhancing public safety, Senators have asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to close down unlicensed roadside retailers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
The Lawmakers made the call after adopting the resolution of a motion moved by Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (APC-Ogun) in plenary on Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
The motion was raised out of the need to curb the rising cases of gas-related fire incidences, explosions and deaths in Ogun, the sponsor said.
Amosun, an ex-Governor of Ogun State, noted that natural gas is found in abundance in the country and fast becoming the preferred means of cooking in many Nigerian homes.
He, however, warned that if not well regulated, gas could be a curse rather than a blessing because of the loss of lives and destruction of properties it can cause when not handled properly.
The Senator, therefore, charged regulatory agencies to live up to their responsibilities by enforcing standards and checking the influx of sub-standard cylinders and retailers of adulterated gas.
At the end of the debate, the Red Chamber also urged DPR to step up the clamp down on illegal roadside retailers of the product, as well as those who operate within residential areas.
The Senate further mandated its Committees on Gas and Industries to investigate the cause(s) of the recent cases of Gas explosions in Ogun, other states and the FCT.