The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has allayed fears of residents of Tirwun quarters in Bauchi metropolis over the construction of five gas plants within the community.
Abdullahi Iliyasu, DPR operations controller, assured the residents of safety on Tuesday.
In August, some residents of Tirwun and ATBU Kari Estate staff quarters appealed to the Bauchi state government to halt the construction of a gas plant by Action Energy Nigeria Limited, a private energy firm, in the area.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the residents said the proposed plant is behind a petrol filling station and opposite a mosque, which they described as hazardous and poses a threat to the people based on gas explosions reported in different parts of Nigeria.
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They expressed fears that if an explosion occurred, thousands of worshippers at the mosque (Tirwun Juma’at/Eid) and residents’ lives would be at risk.
”All the plants were established after rigorous assessment and evaluation of the safety of the environment and the people,” Iliyasu said.
”An environmental Impact Assessment was carried out before the plants were approved.
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”The DPR embarked on sensitisation tour of filling stations and existing Liquefied Petroleum Gas plants (LPGs) on strict adherence to safety measures.
”We sensitised operators of filling stations, gas plants and the general public on the need for strict adherence and observance of safety measures in their stations.”
Iliyasu urged consumers to always check the expiry date of gas cylinders before purchase and buy gas from certified plants.
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