Reps raise alarm over expired gas cylinders in circulation

By JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI

The House of Representatives on Wednesday raised the alarm over the non-testing and proliferation of expired gas cylinders currently in circulation in the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Authority (FCT), Abuja and the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON to swing into action to halt the menace.

This followed the adoption of a motion on the need to replace the expired cooking gas cylinders in Nigeria moved by Hon. Sergius Ose Ogun during the plenary session presided over by the Speaker Rep Femi Gbajabiamila.

The House also urged the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to design a strategy to regulate the use of old gas cylinders as well as enforce the withdrawal and replacement of expired gas cylinders from circulation nationwide without further delay.

The House then mandated the Committee on Gas Resources to ensure implementation and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

While moving the motion, the lawmaker said that they noted that over 9million people in Nigeria utilize Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking and 90 per cent of the LPG/cooking gas were contained in expired cylinders.

He also noted that the cylinders outlived their safety limits after 15 years and most cylinders in Nigeria were over 30 years old making them very dangerous for use.

The lawmaker further explained that House was aware of the need to invest in a cylinder operating plants and to have cylinder recycling plants as the community lacks cylinder plants.

He said that the House was also aware that investment in the local production of gas cylinders will allow for the affordable replacement of old/obsolete cylinders.

He added that the House was disturbed that the continued use of old cylinders can cause explosions, especially in poorly controlled environments.

He recalled that there have been numerous incidences of cooking gas explosions in Nigeria, a case in point being the gas cylinder explosion in Anambra State in 2017, that led to the loss of lives and destruction of properties.

When the motion was put into voice vote by Speaker Rep Femi Gbajabiamila, it was unanimously supported by the members. (Courtesy, Nigerian Tribune)