News
NMDPRA shuts 19 illegal gas outlets in Delta
By Francesca Hangeior
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has sealed 19 illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State.
Category D LPG operators are those who refill gas from licensed plants for customers to collect from their premises.
The NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, Victor Ohwodiasa, disclosed this to journalists in Warri on Tuesday, noting that “the illegal gas outlets were sealed within the past two weeks.”
According to him, the outlets were shut down in Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, and Warri, as well as other surrounding areas.
Ohwodiasa explained that “the illegal gas outlets were closed for offences ranging from lack of prerequisite approvals to unsafe locations.”
He said, “During the operation, about 28 illegal outlets were identified by the authority. We tried to assess whether they could be regularised, as they were wrongly sited.
“The outlet sealed in Ogwashi-Ukwu was a five-metric-tonne refilling plant constructed by the roadside, close to high-tension cables.
“The authority assessed the environment and found that it was wrongly located on a right of way and had no approval. It was sealed, and a relocation order was issued immediately.
“Other offenders were engaged in what we call ‘decanting’—that is, transferring gas from one cylinder to another. This is strictly prohibited.
“The correct practice is ‘bottle swap,’ where customers exchange their empty cylinders for filled ones,” he said.
The NMDPRA Coordinator stressed that “the exercise is not intended to frustrate small-scale gas business owners but to ensure they operate in a safe and secure environment.”
He urged landlords not to allocate space to Category D LPG operators seeking to conduct illegal business on their properties.
“The goal is to prevent potential fire outbreaks that could endanger lives and property,” he stated.
Ohwodiasa added, “NMDPRA is committed to ensuring that lives and property are adequately protected.
“Imagine someone storing cooking gas near a welding workshop or where food vendors are frying bean cakes or roasting corn. A gas leak in such a setting would have catastrophic consequences.
“If an illegal operator does not value his own life, it is our duty to ensure he does not endanger himself or others by running an unauthorised facility.”
He assured that the regulatory authority would sustain its enforcement efforts across the state and that any violators would face legal consequences.
He also warned that offenders who refused to relocate their facilities would be handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
The coordinator appealed to the public to report anyone engaging in illegal gas transfers to the NMDPRA for prompt action, saying, “Help us to serve you better.”
Ohwodiasa further assured that the regulatory body would continue sensitising operators, noting that the authority holds annual stakeholder engagement meetings with gas plant owners and Category D operators.
He added that the regulatory authority also runs public awareness campaigns on radio and television to educate people on the safe handling of cooking gas due to its volatility.
The coordinator expressed appreciation to the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Engr. Ahmed Farouk, for his continued support of regulatory operations in the state.
Members of the Enugu State Caucus of Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP) in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji , Rt. Hon. Martins Oke and Hon Anayo Onwuegbu have welcomed Rt. Hon. Dennis Agbo and Hon. Chidi Mark Obeta of Labour Party, (LP) to the PDP fold.
They observed that the visionary leadership of Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mba in Enugu State has ignited massive decamps and unprecedented upsurge of membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the state.
The caucus in a statement issued after the two members of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Dennis Agbo of Igboeze North/ Udenu and Chidi Mark Obeta who represents Nsukka/Igboeze South formally announced their transfer of membership to PDP at the resumption of House plenary on Tuesday said it was gladdening to receive them into the PDP fold.
They stressed that PDP in Enugu State was witnessing a great rebirth as a result of the transformative development agenda being unleashed in various sectors of the economy of the state by Governor Mba which has received global commendations.
The Enugu State caucus Leader, Rt. Hon. Nnolim Nnaji on behalf of the members further noted that Governor Mba’s investments in infrastructure, agro economy, and security among others have made Enugu State a tourist’s haven adding that with the good governance structure he has put in place, his second tenure would be a walkover.
Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, along with twenty-one other former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), elected into the Assembly has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), following a major realignment of political stakeholders across the state.
The defection of the twenty-two lawmakers has effectively transformed the Delta State House of Assembly into a one-party legislature, as the remaining seven members were originally elected on the ticket of the APC.
Announcing the development on Tuesday during the resumption of plenary after the Easter break, the Speaker stated that the decision was the result of extensive consultations with their constituents and political leaders throughout the state.
He emphasized that the move aligned with Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
While expressing appreciation to members for their contributions so far, Guwor urged the House to ensure the completion of all pending bills as the second legislative session nears its end.
He noted that the political shift towards the APC was in response to the realignment of stakeholders and the desire to align with the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership.
“The mass defection of members of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, to the All Progressives Congress was made in the overall interest of Deltans and the state,” the Speaker said.
He explained that the decision followed extensive consultations held on April 23 and which cumulated on the official reception on April 28, 2025, at the Government House and the Cenotaph, respectively.
He said: “We are fully committed to partnering with the Federal Government to deliver greater development to Deltans.
“On behalf of the House, I commend the courage and visionary leadership of our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, in making this strategic and timely decision.
“As a legislative body, we stand with His Excellency in this endeavour. This renewed partnership between the state and Federal Government must be supported and allowed to flourish, so that we can begin to enjoy its benefits in the shortest possible time.”
He informed the House that he had received twenty-two letters (including his own) notifying of the change of party affiliation from the PDP to the APC.
The defection, he said, was driven by instability within the PDP’s national leadership and factional divisions within the South-South Zonal Executive Committee, leading to internal conflicts and disunity within the party.
Citing Section 109(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Speaker affirmed the constitutional basis for the defection.
“With this action, the Delta State House of Assembly is now composed entirely of members from the All Progressives Congress. We thank our constituents for endorsing this progressive course of action”.
A motion to adopt the letters of party change was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, and seconded by Hon. Ferguson Onwo, who represents Isoko South II.
Speaking to journalists after the plenary, the Majority Leader, Hon Emeka Nwaobi reiterated that the defection was prompted by the crisis within the PDP.
“Our decision was based on the instability at the national level and the factionalization at the South-South level. Consequently, we chose to move to the ruling All Progressives Congress, in accordance with Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended,” he said.
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