By Kelechi Ogunleye
Abuja – Mr Julius Opetunsin, Assistant Controller-General, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service, has decried the non-payment of Fire Safety Certificate by managers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Plants and filling stations in Abuja to the service.
Opetunsin made the observation on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with managers of the plants and filling stations in the territory, on safety measures.
He said that the command had observed that some LPG plant and filling station managers paid their fire safety certificate fee to the wrong agencies.
The controller-general, therefore, urged all plants and stations operators in the territory to pay for their Insurance Safety Certificate at the FCT Fire Service.
“Revenue got in FCT is remitted to the FCT Administration and likewise the money from this certificate payment is sent to FCTA,“ he said.
He said that the essence of the meeting was to minimise the emergence of possible fire outbreaks at LPG plants and filling stations in the territory.
“There is every possibility of fire disaster at petroleum stations during operations but with safety and precautionary tips we hope they are minimal or possibly prevented,” he said.
The controller encouraged the plant operators to have “special fire marshals’’.
According to him, these men should be sent to fire service to learn the basics of fire safety, prevention/control and should be readily available to give first-hand rescue before the emergence of fire service rescue team.
Mr Abdu Abba, Zonal Operation Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), said the meeting was important because it would help all petroleum operators to adopt fire safety precautions in their stations.
Abba, who was represented by Mr Audu Ibrahim, Officer Commanding Health, Safety and Environment, said that there was need to review the fire safety code.
(NAN)