Following operators’ demand for a review of standards in the oil and gas sector, Osita À. Aboloma, Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), says the agency will be intensifying its sanitisation efforts to rid the country of substandard Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and ensure adherence to ethical practices.
Speaking at a sensitasation workshop for stakeholders in Lagos, Aboloma said the organisation will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the life of every Nigerian is safe.
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“One Nigerian is worth more than millions of investments, hence the need for operators to serve as watchdog to safeguard the life of every Nigerian,” he said.
Challenging stakeholders in the industry to join hands with the SON to promote safety, the DG said that the agency has zero tolerance to substandard products but needs the cooperation of all stakeholders to achieve its main objectives.
“I want to seek the stakeholders’ cooperation as dealers, marketers, as retailers of LPG product. My concern is to have safety assurance for the end users.”
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He urged oil marketers and investors to see themselves as stakeholders, serving as a watchdog, and to ensure certification of equipment and products used in sales and discharge of LPG, including vessels valves and storage tanks.
According to him, doing that will instil safety and efficiency in service delivery in the oil & gas sector.
Hé disclosed that the organisation has acquired three testing equipment for vessels that use ultra sound, stating that these will be located in strategic areas in Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Lagos.
Apart from enhancing the safety of lives and property, the SON’s DG noted that revalidation of cylinders would boost the LPG business in the country.
“ SON’s statutory mandate is to protect lives and property by ensuring that appropriate standards are maintained, hence to ensure this exercise achieve intended results, we have reduced the cost of testing and certification by 50 percent in line with the present economic situation.
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Highpoint of the meeting was the inauguration of a committe, which will be supported by trained engineers, to report incidents of unethical practices and substandard products to SON.
A plan was mapped out to ensure that old, substandard LPG are withdrawn from circulation. The committee was asked to submit its report in three months for consideration.
Obiora F. Manafa, chairman of the newly inuagrated commitee, who I am engineer, condemed the continued circulation of cylinders above 40 years.
“It is very necessary to address this and other challenges. This is a national assignment which we have to give our time experience and total committment for us to achieve success. This is to save lives and properties of Nigerians . Zyhe mandate is very clear, “ Manafa promised.
Odinaka Anudu
