The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has expressed great sadness over the gas explosion along Kachia Road, Sabon Tasha, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, last week Saturday, 4th January, 2020. Chief Sylva described the occurrence as “tragic” as he immediately ordered investigation by a combined team of Officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Department of Petroleum Resources, into the incident.
Chief Sylva has also directed his protocol team to immediately schedule him for a visit to the place of the incident and to the bereaved families and hospitalized victims.
Further, the Honourable Minister of State has directed the Department of Petroleum Resources in collaboration with other relevant agencies to establish a nationwide surveillance team to intensify the identification and eradication of illegal and unlicensed Gas Sales Operators, as well as imposing hefty fines and prosecuting erring marketers. Chief Sylva gave this directive noting the findings of the investigation into the Sabon Tasha, Kaduna incident which revealed that the unfortunate incident occurred whilst an unlicensed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sales attendant was decanting LPG into smaller cylinders.
While condoling the families of the bereaved and wishing the injured speedy recovery, Chief Timipre Sylva also assured Nigerians that their safety whilst using LPG or in any other endeavour is of utmost importance to Government.
Signed,
Olujimi Oyetomi
Head, Press Unit, Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
8th January, 2020.