Outcry in Delta As LPG Facility Springs Up In Residential Area
By ESTHER McWILLIS-IKHIDE & PAULINA NZERUBE
RESIDENTS of Imade Osazee Street in Asaba, Delta State, have petitioned the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) over the construction of a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plant within their residential neighbourhood.
In the petition, the residents alleged that the siting of the gas facility poses serious risks to lives and property. The LPG plant is reportedly being constructed behind an A.A. Rano filling station, a location the residents described as unsafe and unsuitable for such infrastructure.
According to the petition, which was submitted through their legal representatives, the project violates established safety standards and regulatory guidelines governing the location of gas facilities. The residents claimed that the LPG plant is less than five metres from their living spaces, including bedrooms, raising fears of explosions, fire outbreaks, and long-term environmental hazards.
They further argued that the facility could not have legitimately received regulatory approval, given its proximity to residential buildings and its location within a densely populated area.
“The said gas plant is being constructed to the detriment of other occupants of the area, with best practices completely jettisoned,” the petition stated.
The residents urged the NMDPRA to urgently intervene by halting the construction, reviewing the approval process, and enforcing compliance with safety and environmental regulations to prevent a potential disaster.
