Rivers State government has frowned at some owners of gas refilling and petrol stations who rely solely on the approvals of the oil and gas industry, neglecting its safety approvals.
The state commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Hon. Evans Bipi, disclosed this when the state chapter of Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) visited him in Port Harcourt.
Bipi said approvals from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development are fundamental and a crucial precursor to obtaining other necessary permits for investments in the retail chain of the downstream sector.
He emphasised the need for investors in the sector to prioritise comprehensive compliance to regulations and guidelines by obtaining all necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.
Bipi said such oversight could lead to severe consequences, including loss of lives, environmental hazards and legal repercussions.
The commissioner also accused some filling station owners of deviating from the original approved building plan issued to them by the ministry.
He said it is unacceptable for a filling station investor to obtain an approval for a 4-pump petrol station, only to construct a 6 or 8-pump petrol station and even add a gas refilling section to it without prior government approval.
Bipi advised such investors to desist from unauthorised practices, and instead, genuinely seek comprehensive approvals from the ministry.
On his part, PETROAN chairman in the state, Francis Dimkpa, said the association is profoundly grieved and pained by the Oroazi gas explosion.
Dimkpa, while exonerating members of the association from the refilling of gas in residential areas, emphasised the enormous risks associated with such practices.
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