Over 15 illegal gas stations sealed in Ebonyi

Not fewer than 15 illegal gas stations were on Thursday sealed in Abakaliki by the Ebonyi state government.

The station which are domicile in the state capital were sealed following the directive of the state Governor David Umahi .

Governor Umahi had on Wednesday said the decision to shut down the stations was of vital importance in other to avoid possible outbreak of fire incidents in the state.

According to a statement signed by the governors Special Assistant on Media , Francis Nweze, the governor was quoted to have said the closure of the gas stations was apt, especially in this period  harmattan.

Members of the task force include the Commissioner for Internal Security, Stanley Okoro, the Special Adviser on Petroleum, Basil Chima and members of the Abakaliki Capital Territory Developmental Board (ACTDB)

Speaking after the Exercise, Mr Chima said the state government had mapped out land for gas stations but the operators have refused to move to the sight.

He said that only one station in the city has all the approvals and licences to operate in the state.

On his part, chairman of ACTDB, Uche Onwe said the state government cannot afford to seat and watch the state destroyed by carelessness of the operators who have continued to build the stations close to residential areas.

Similarly, Okoro said the stations will remain closed till they upgrade their facilities to the standard required.

“To have approval (to build) is different from license to sell from DPR. We have sealed them before but how they managed to reopen is what I don’t know”, he said.

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