Experts Warn Of Potential Hazards As Residential Areas See Surge In Filling Stations

The rate of citing filling stations in residential areas has risen in recent times, especially, in urban centres across South Western States as well as some parts in the North and East, LEADERSHIP can exclusively reveal.

While Lagos and Ogun States are notorious in this  act, investigation shows that fuel stations are mostly sunk in between houses, thereby, exposing residents of such communities to danger of fire incidents.

Findings conducted in the areas where such filling stations were built shows that, residents have, on several occasion lodged complaint to community leaders and regulatory authorities but those efforts prove futile as the owners of such business were adamant. To this end, stakeholders in the oil and gas industry have expressed discontent on the continued abuse of guidelines and processes relating to construction and operation of petroleum dispensing outlets especially in heavily built up communities. Our Correspondent reports that stakeholders have blamed the issue on regulatory lapses and overlapping functions between agencies of the Federation and state governments.

Our findings shows that, in some cases, States’ urban development agencies issue permit to build to operators who, in some cases, present fake license to operate so as to obtain building permission.

While this has presented a misnomer and potential threat due to high inflammable nature of the products, some have called for strong policy around the development and extensive awareness across the country.

LEADERSHIP, reports that, building a filling station in Nigeria requires adherence to stringent guidelines focused on safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance. Key aspects include: site selection, infrastructure requirements, and obtaining necessary licenses and approvals.

Some marketers, who spoke to our correspondent, noted the dangers with practice of citing filling stations around residential buildings. General secretary of the Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN), Ibrahim Shehu  Yahaya, in his views said, existing guidelines spells out all requirements guiding the building and operations of filling stations.

He said, though States’ urban development agencies have the statutory rights to issue building permits, nonetheless, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has necessary guidelines and authority to issue operations permit.

Yahaya, blamed some operators of flagrantly abusing the process and called for improved awareness campaigns to educate the operators on the dangers of their actions.

Immediate past national President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, frowned at the practice and somehow blamed some operators of breaching existing laws.

Okoronkwo said, some consider gains above human interest as they share the notion that bringing their facilities close to the people would attract more patronage. In his opinion,  the national president of the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, placed the blame on poor regulatory oversight on one hand and estate developers on the other hand.

He argued that, in some cases the filling stations have existed before building permission is granted for development of new areas without regard to existence of the facility.

To him, in accordance to the law, the chosen land should be appropriately zoned for commercial use and avoid areas susceptible to flooding or near sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and residential buildings.

Also, minimum distances must be maintained between the station and residential buildings, schools, and other public facilities to create a buffer zone.

A minimum distance between existing and proposed stations is required to prevent overcrowding. A resident of a community in Ifo Local government area of Ogun State, a border town to. Lagos State, Mrs. Rebecca Ajayi noted that, the filling station in question was tucked in between three houses; one at the back and one each on its right and left. She said, despite complaint made to the community leaders, the asked the residents to take it in good faith as the filing station will create jobs for the community.