Henceforth, filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory that violate the minimum safety standard on product discharge will not only be sanctioned but may also stand to lose their operating licence. Not only that, they may be compelled to pay compensations to any third party whose property got affected as a result of their negligence.
The Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Dr. Abbas Idriss disclosed this during a chat with newsmen in Abuja.
He disclosed that the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello is worried about the increasing cases of filing station fires in the Territory and therefore directed that such filling stations must be sanctioned for violating the laws regulating their business.
Dr. Idriss informed that the FCTA is liaising with the Upstream and the Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and other stakeholders to ensure strict adherence to the regulations on product discharge.
“He said there is going to be proper engagement of all the stakeholders as directed by the FCT Minister in order to prevent further incidences of fire”.
The FEMA boss emphasized that no filling station should discharge petroleum products when the temperature is high to avoid fire outbreak.
The DG further stated that the FCTA was putting modalities in place to ensure that all filling stations in the Territory have public liability insurance and maintain minimum standard of fire defence equipment where the staff are adequately trained on safety standards.
“We will investigate and ensure that they have insurance so that they can pay compensation to the third parties.”
Dr. Idriss described as unacceptable the recent attack on firemen in the course of fighting the fire at Enyo filling station. “We use expensive chemicals to fight fire.”
He appealed to residents to always use the 112 Emergency Toll-Free number in the event of an emergency.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/fcta-vows-to-sanction-erring-filling-stations-on-product-discharge/
