Imo youths ask FG to close gas plants in commercial areas
Youths in Imo State operating on
platform of Genius Eyes International Foundation for the Hopeless have
called the Federal Government, especially the Department of Petroleum
Resources to with immediate effect shut all gas plants and fuel stations
operating in areas where there is high rate of human and commercial
activities.
Staging a peaceful protest on Friday at
DPR office in Owerri, the leader of the protesters, Paulcy Iwuala, said
that the Non Governmental Organisation was saddened by a recent gas
explosion in the state which claimed four lives and injured several
others.
The activist disclosed that
investigation carried out by the NGO revealed that more gas plants in
the state would explode if the relevant government failed to take
proactive action against the looming danger.
According to Iwuala, the state was
sitting on a keg of gun powder and that the indiscriminate mounting of
the explosive gas plants in almost every part of the state, especially
in the state capital, was an issue that must be legally challenged by
men and women of good conscience.
Iwuala said, “The recent tragedy which
claimed the lives of four persons in the Orji part of the state is still
fresh in our hearts. We must avoid things that must cause us a lot of
damage, pains and sorrow. There is nothing wrong in the Department of
Petroleum Services insisting that constitutionality must be obeyed when
people want to fix gas plants.
“Explosive things like gas plants and
Petroleum stations ought not to be in areas where there is high rate of
human and commercial activities if the government Agencies that are
saddled with the responsibility of issuance of operational licences to
the some business people are sincere. We will go to court to compel DPR
to do what is right if it does not want to wake up to its constitutional
responsibility. The lives of the citizens of the country must be
respected. We must not value money high and above human lives.”
The activist disclosed that even if it
took the NGO to protest every day against the tide so as to eliminate
the scenario, the group was determined to do so.
“Just look at everywhere, especially in
the city, gas plants are everywhere. Businessmen are now allowed to
site gas plants that are deadly at places where millions of people do
businesses. What kind of a thing is this? Is either somebody has refused
to what is right or that he or she is collecting money to look the
other way while these gas plants are mounted here and there,” Iwuala
lamented.
Responding, the zonal commander of DPR
in Owerri, Mr Ikechukwu Peter, said that the Agency was not insensitive
to the issues raised by the protesters.
Peter said, “The Department of
Petroleum Resources is not indifferent to the issues you have raised. We
are deeply worried and that is why we have insisted that these gas
plants that are sited illegally must be removed. It is also important
you know that we are not the only government Agency that authorises the
issuance of operational licences, police and town planners are equally
involved.”
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