By Admin 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 19 illegal Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State over safety violations and lack of approvals.
Speaking to journalists in Warri on Tuesday, the NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, Engr. Victor Ohwodiasa, said the illegal gas outlets were shut down within the past two weeks across Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, and Warri.
He explained that during the operations, the agency identified about 28 illegal gas outlets, some of which were wrongly sited and posed serious risks to public safety.
Ohwodiasa urged landlords to avoid leasing spaces to illegal gas operators to prevent potential disasters.
“We sealed these outlets due to various infractions, including lack of prerequisite approvals and unsafe locations,” Ohwodiasa said.
“For instance, in Ogwashi-Ukwu, we found a five-metric-tonne refilling plant built by the roadside, close to high-tension cables. The environment was unsafe, and the facility had no approval. It was immediately sealed, and a relocation order was issued,” he stated.
He also condemned the practice of “decanting,” which involves transferring gas from one cylinder to another, describing it as highly dangerous.
“We do not allow decanting. What is expected is a ‘bottle swap’—customers should exchange empty cylinders for filled ones,” he emphasized.
“Imagine someone storing cooking gas near a welding shop or where a woman is frying akara or roasting corn. A small gas leak in such an environment could be catastrophic,” he warned.
He reassured that NMDPRA is committed to protecting lives and properties, adding that any operator who refuses to comply with relocation orders will be handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
“We will sustain this exercise, and anyone found guilty will face the full weight of the law,” he added.
The NMDPRA coordinator also noted that the agency regularly engages stakeholders, including gas plant owners and Category D operators, to ensure compliance with safety standards.
“We run public sensitization campaigns through radio and television jingles to educate people on the proper handling of cooking gas due to its volatility,” he said.
Ohwodiasa expressed gratitude to the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Engr. Ahmed Farouk, for his unwavering support in ensuring safety in the state’s gas sector.