Warri Zonal Office of NMDPRA Seals, Detains Illegal Petrol Store

The Warri Zonal Office of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed an illegal petrol store in the city of Warri, detaining the owner in the process.
This was reported by Victor Ohwodiasa, the NMDPRA Coordinator for Delta, addressed reporters on Tuesday in Warri.
The coordinator claimed that after breaking the facility’s prior seal, the suspect was caught by authority authorities.
The suspect, according to Ohwodiasa, has been given to the Nigerian Police for prosecution.
“In a bid to rid the oil and gas sector of illegal operators, our surveillance activities discovered that there was a gas dispensing outlet located in a residential building.
“We sealed the facility and asked the operator to relocate to a convenient place, and come forward to obtain his licence. He violated the seal and continued with his illegal business.
“We mobilised again and shutdown the facility, arrested the suspect and handed him over to the appropriate authority for prosecution,” he said.
Ohwodiasa claimed that the suspect’s behaviour was against the terms of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and he would face legal punishment for doing so.
In order to make sure that those working in the oil and gas industries have the proper licences, he claimed that the regulatory body would continue to maintain monitoring in the state.
The coordinator asked customers to report to the proper authority any petrol operator or gasoline marketer engaging in shady practises in order to receive the necessary response.
He claimed that the agency’s main priority was making sure that these operators adhered to the law and had valid operating licences.
Ohwodiasa urged anyone who wanted to do business in the oil and gas sector to speak with the NMDPRA for the right advice.
He urged anyone who wanted to enter the oil and gas industry to get in touch with the relevant authority so they could receive the right advice.
“Our fee is very small; our emphasis is not on the fee but on the safety of operations. We handle very volatile products, once there is any heat source, the next thing is explosion.
“Our major concern is the safe operations of those facilities. Once they come we give them the necessary guidance,” he said.
Ohwodiasa asserted that the NMDPRA will keep going after PIA offenders until the regulatory body fulfilled its objectives.

Source: allnewsng.com

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