In a bid to curtail fire outbreaks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the administration has vowed to sanction filling stations within the territory that fail to observe necessary safety measures required by law.
The permanent secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola gave the warning during the inauguration of a ministerial task force on the safe handling of petroleum products in the FCT.
Adesola said that the improper handling of petroleum products as well as non-compliance with safety measures, as it concerns operational guidelines of managing filling stations have been largely responsible for several fire outbreaks in most of the filling stations.
The permanent secretary who recalled that in 2022 alone, not less than four filling stations were gutted by fire within the territory, expressed optimism that the task force would work assiduously to reduce future fire outbreaks by ensuring that filling operators adhere strictly to safety measures.
He further advised residents of the FCT to consider the inauguration of the committee as a proactive measure by the government, which is aimed at securing their lives and properties.
Adesola stressed the need for the committee to sensitise and engage owners and operators of filling stations on the need to acquire and install firefighting equipment, as well as train and retrain their personnel on the handling of firefighting gadgets.
He also charged the committee to begin sensitisation engagement within this rainy season, given the fact that most cases of fire outbreaks in filling stations usually happen during the dry season.
“Their terms of reference include monitoring and ensuring compliance to safe timing of uploading and offloading of volatile substances, including PMS and LPG. Monitor and ensure that all filling stations have functional, basic, and relevant fire and personnel safety equipment.
“Ensure that filling stations have trained fire safety officers. Monitor and ensure that volatile substances are not off-loaded with vehicles or customers already waiting within the filling station premises. Clamp down on Black Marketers and filling stations conniving with them.
“Also, to recommend the closure of filling stations violating basic fire safety and those find colluding with Black Marketers. Recommend other safety measures to the FCTA, as they may deem necessary, in the overall interest of public safety,” he said.
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