The Department of Petroleum Resources, Gombe State field office, has called for improvement safety measures in oil and gas facilities, flaying some operators in the sector for their failure to adhere to safety standards.
It warned that adequate punitive measures would be meted out to those flouting the extant laws of the DPR.
The Controller, DPR Gombe field office, Maishera Yahaya, disclosed this after he led his team on a surveillance and familiarisation tour of oil and gas stations in the state recently.
He said the Director, Petroleum Resources, Sarki Auwalu, had directed that all operations’ controllers across the country should ensure safety of operations in the downstream sector.
The directive, according to Yahaya, was given during the launch of the Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations.
He added that the training was designed to develop and improve on safety training in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry to curb incessant cases of accidents and disasters.
Yahaya noted that to solve the problems, Auwalu during MISTDO launch said, “The DPR has designed a template that will enhance the regulatory strategies for the downstream facilities.
“The programme is targeted at people, the process and equipment as well as workers at the downstream sector including petroleum tanker drivers and motor boys, as a proactive measure to ensure safety at all times.”
Yahaya added that Auwalu emphasised that “training requirement for licence to operate a downstream facility is supported by relevant petroleum laws and regulations.”
According to Yahaya, Section 9 of the Petroleum Act, 1969 grants Minister of Petroleum Resources the power to make regulations in matters relating to licence issued to holders in the areas of safe working, construction, maintenance and operation of installations, among other sections of the Petroleum Act.
“The MISTDO programme seeks to achieve increased awareness in safety and risks associated with operation in the sector; improve knowledge and compliance; standardise basic training requirements for personnel in the sector; serve as a guide for prospective training in basic safety use and provide a platform to effectively monitor and regulate basic safety training activities in the sector,” he added.
