The Kano State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, initiated a legislative process to repeal the State Fire Service Directorate Edict No 17 of 1970, to regulate operations of cooking gas retailers in Kano metropolis.
The legislation seeks to insert a section to regulate indiscriminate sale of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise called cooking gas, in the metropolis.
This followed the adoption of a report by the House Standing Committee on Special Duties during the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Ismail Falgore.
The committee had probed indiscriminate sale of cooking gas within residential areas in Kano metropolis.
The Chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Yahaya (NNPP – Gezawa constituency), said the Kano State Fire Service Directorate reported about 475 illegal cooking gas outlets after engaging with relevant stakeholders.
He said that statistics of the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), showed that there were 234 unlicensed natural gas retailers in the state.
The investigation, he said, was sequel to a motion moved by Tasiu Abubakar (NNPP – Kura constituency), on the need for a regulatory framework, to safeguard lives and properties from disasters that might arise from the activities of illegal LPG retailers in the metropolis.
While expressing concern over the spate of uncertified LPG marketers, Yahaya said the findings were limited to Kano metropolis, with few of the retailers who registered with NMDPRA, lacked basic training to enhance their operations.
He said the committee recommended for the state government to provide a permanent site for cooking gas marketers at the six entrances of the metropolis, just like the GSM and pharmaceutical markets, sited at designated locations.
“The six sites shall be sited at Hadeja Road; Maiduguri Road, Zaria Road, Madobi Road, Gwarzo Road and Katsina Road,” he said.
He said the repeal of the Service edict would provide guidelines to empower and support LPG retail services in the state.
