The Lagos State government yesterday warned that any retail gas operators or marketers operating within the state without proper safety measures would be shut down.
The state gave the stern warning against the backdrop of reports that safety checks have taken the back seat in most gas retail shops which may result in disaster if not addressed.
The director general, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola while speaking at the Oil and Gas Stakeholders Safety Summit with the theme; ‘Safe Retail Gas Operation in Lagos State’, said the move is to guide against incessant avoidable gas explosions.
Mojola, who was represented by the Technical Adviser Safety Commission, Mr. Seun Awojobi explained that the whole essence of the summit is to train practitioners in the sector on how to handle LPG in a safer manner.
“We know of past incidents that had happened, some ranging from industrial to residential accidents where several lives were lost and safety commission mandate is to ensure that lives and property are safe.”
“Event like this is to bring the practitioners in the Liquefied gas sector together and train them on best practices around the usage of gas and see how we can save more lives.” he said
He maintained that the State government has identified about 2,500 gas retail shops across the state and is working with the association to weed out marketers that are selling without proper safety measures.
According to him “The government has done the enumeration on retail gas outlets in lagos this is with the intent of scaling up their safety measures for the one that are open to scaling and for the one that we believe that will pose harm or danger to the environment, we are shutting them down.”
He said that several Incidents had occurred in the past and the Summit was to further prevent these avoidable incidents with more training and enlightenment.
The Special Adviser to Mr Governor on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende said that massive investment in this sector by the current administration has led to drastic reduction in fire outbreaks and gas explosions, stressing Government commitment to protection of lives and property across the state.
Ogunlende who was represented by Dr. Bukola Ayinla added that high priority placed on safety of lives and property by Sanwo-Olu administration is evident by resources that have been deployed in the procurement of fire fighting apparatus, construction of new fire stations and employment of over 425 fire fighters to join the more experienced firemen already in the fleet.
He however advised Lagosians to take necessary precautions and avoid unsafe practices that could lead to accidents, as the government could only deploy already scarce resources to manage those avoidable accidents and disasters.
