Ekiti Govt Warns Residents Against Fire Disaster Due To Fuel Hike

The Ekiti State government, on Thursday, warned residents against stocking petroleum products in homes and business areas, noting that such could lead to a fire disaster in the State.

our correspondent reports that following the recent announcement by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva alerting the general public to get ready for another increment in fuel prices, some residents of Ekiti State have embarked on panic buying.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, who gave the warning in a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, also warned petrol marketers against hoarding the commodity.

Otunba Egbeyemi said stoking fuel in homes and other unauthorized places could lead to loss of lives and properties via fire incidents.

He assured that the government would do all it can to avert such avoidable disaster, stressing that the people were ignorant of how inflammable the product is.

The statement urged residents to remain calm, adding that the government would work with the state Petroleum Products Consumers Protection Agency (PPCPA) to ensure that marketers sell the products to consumers at government-approved prices.

The statement reads in part: “We are using this opportunity to appeal to the good people of Ekiti State to avoid fire disaster. Stocking of petrol in private residences, offices and business centres is very risky.

“This could spark fire incidents that may lead to loss of precious lives and valuable properties. We don’t want lives to be lost and houses, shops and other property to be burnt”.

PREMIER NEWS  recalls that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Thursday urged the Nigerian Government to allow investors to ru