The Delta State Government has sealed an alleged illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plant under construction along Infant Jesus Road, Asaba, amid rising safety concerns from residents and questions over regulatory compliance.
The action followed a petition by residents of Imade Osazee Street, off Infant Jesus Road, to the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja, describing the siting of the LPG facility beside residential buildings as unlawful and dangerous.
Following the petition, the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Chief Peter Uviejitobor, reportedly summoned the management of A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited to his office in Asaba and ordered an immediate halt to construction activities at the site.
A competent source within the ministry told The Guardian that the project was stopped because it lacked the mandatory governor’s consent.
When The Guardian visited the location on Wednesday, officials of the Ministry of Oil and Gas had already sealed the site, with a notice clearly stating: “Stop work. Development/construction without governor’s consent.”
Residents said the gas plant had reached an advanced stage of construction before government intervention, heightening fears of a potential disaster. They cited the recent LPG explosion in Agbor, Ika South Local Council, which claimed several lives, as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with poorly sited gas facilities.
In a petition addressed to the NMDPRA State Coordinator in Warri and formally acknowledged by the agency, solicitors to the residents, PJ Eleweke and Partners, argued that the project violated statutory safety standards and industry best practices.
According to excerpts of the petition, the LPG plant—located behind an A.A. Rano filling station—is being constructed “simultaneously and without taking cognisance of the required setback as provided by law,” adding that the structure is “less than five metres from the living bedroom” of affected residents.
The petition further alleged that an engineer at the site claimed the facility belonged to the A.A. Rano filling station and that its owner was “influential” and had allegedly “settled all regulatory authorities,” suggesting that no one could stop the project.
The residents insisted that such a facility could not have legitimately qualified for approval, given its location in a densely populated residential area. They urged the NMDPRA to urgently investigate and halt the project to avert what they described as an “impending time bomb” that could lead to loss of lives and property in the event of an explosion.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the danger was compounded by the proximity of the petrol station and LPG plant to Infant Jesus Schools, which houses many students, including those in boarding facilities.
“It is inherently dangerous to build such facilities in a residential area, more so directly opposite a major public school of this magnitude,” the resident said.
The petition was copied to the Governor of Delta State; the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Saidu Aliyu Mohammed; the Commissioner for Oil and Gas; the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ejiro Tommy Jamani; the Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency; and the Executive Chairman of Oshimili South Local Council.
However, reacting to the development, a top management staff member of A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited, who declined to be named, insisted that the company had obtained approval for the project. He cited an approval reference—Approved site/ ATC; NMDPRA/ RON/ DE/LTC.142771 —issued in the name of A.A. Rano Nigeria Limited.
