The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 19 illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State over safety violations and lack of approvals.
Mr. Victor Ohwodiasa, the NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, stating that the outlets were sealed within the last two weeks during an enforcement operation in Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Warri, and its environs.
According to Ohwodiasa, the affected outlets were shut down due to various infractions, including operating without requisite approvals and being located in unsafe environments.
“During the operations, about 28 illegal outlets were spotted by the Authority. We tried to see if it was possible to have them regularised, as they were wrongly sited,” he said.
Highlighting a specific case in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Ohwodiasa said, “The outlet that was sealed in Ogwashi-Ukwu was a five-metric-tonne refilling plant constructed on a roadside close to high-tension cables. The Authority looked at the environment; it was wrongly sited on a right-of-way and had no approval. It was sealed, and a relocation order was issued immediately.”
He also condemned the illegal practice of “decanting,” where gas is transferred from one cylinder to another, warning that only “bottle swap”—where customers exchange empty cylinders for pre-filled ones—is permitted.
“The essence of this exercise is not to frustrate small-scale gas business owners but to ensure they operate in a safe and secure environment,” Ohwodiasa explained.
He urged landlords to desist from renting out properties for illegal gas operations, warning that such businesses pose a significant fire hazard to operators and their neighbors.
“Imagine someone storing cooking gas close to where welding operations are taking place or where a woman is frying beans cake or roasting corn. Once there is a leakage, the resultant effect will be catastrophic,” he cautioned.
Ohwodiasa assured that the NMDPRA would sustain its enforcement drive and prosecute defaulters who refuse to relocate. He encouraged the public to report illegal gas transfer activities to the authority for prompt action.
He also acknowledged the support of the NMDPRA Chief Executive, Mr. Ahmed Farouk, for ensuring effective regulatory operations in the state.
