SON intensifies checks for substandard LPG products with new equipment

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), through an Ad-hoc committee made up of its top officials and other experts in the Oil and Gas sector, has intensified its sanitisation operations in the nation’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry.

Inaugurating the committee in Lagos, Director General, SON, Osita Anthony Aboloma, said the objective was to address the challenges and dangers of sub-standard petroleum products in the nation’s economy.

In a related development, SON has taken delivery of modern testing equipment to tackle the incidence of gas explosions in the nation’s oil and gas Industry.

According to the agency, it has been concerned about the incessant explosion, destruction of lives‎ and property caused by substandard LPG products hence its decisive step to acquire three state-of-the-art pressure testing equipment in a bid to reducing the menace to the barest minimum.

Indeed, the agency stated that the three latest equipments located in Abuja, Enugu and Lagos would help to test the strength of materials and capacities of LPG vessels, cylinders and allied products across the country.

Aboloma, stated that SON has invested heavily in human and capital resources to ensure the proper and effective use of the equipment.In his words, “To reduce this to the barest minimum, we have to call different stakeholders and let them know what is expected of them. We have invested heavily in terms of human and capital resources in training and acquiring state-of-the-art LPG testing equipment. We have sent our engineers outside the country to learn what it takes to address the challenges of substandard LPG in a modern economy. I think with a matter of time these explosions will be a thing of the past.”

According to him, the lives of Nigerians cannot be valued, adding that the committee would ensure that the lives of Nigerians wasted as a result of poor handling and substandard LPG products ‎are protected while also getting value for hard-earned money spent acquiring these products.

He said the agency has also ‎reduced the cost of testing and certification of LPG plants and outlets by 50 per cent. This he said, was to cushion the effect of the harsh financial environment currently being faced by operators in the industry.

“We are also using this medium to encourage them to abide to standards and quality assurance. This is our gift to them and in return, we expect that people would get value for their hard-earned money spent to make our environment safer for the use of LPG products,” he reiterated.

Among the terms of reference given to the committee are to sanitise the LPG sector, ensure professional and ethical practices by operators in the filling plants and retailers’ shops, report any incident of unethical practice and substandard products to SON especially roadside and illegal fabricators of substandard LPG tanks and cylinders.

The Director, National Metrology Institute, SON, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said the terms ‎of reference are very clear, saying that the committee would work relentlessly to sanitise the sector.

“We would ensure that new and obsolete tanks, vessels, cylinders are certified before use. I want to implore all of us to give our time, expertise and commitment to ensure the success of this national assignment. We are going to achieve this mandate because the terms of reference are very clear,” he said.

The Deputy president, Nigeria LPG Association (NLPGA), Nuhu Yakubu, said the committee would continue to provide its support and harness the existing partnership with SON.The National Treasurer, Nigerian Association of LPG Marketers, Ogunrinde Adebayo, maintained that the committee would be committed to the cause of protecting lives and property of Nigerians as well as investments.