By Ogar Monday
Following a recent outbreak of fire in a gas refilling plant along MCC Road in Calabar the Cross River State capital that destroyed properties worth millions of Naira, the Greater Calabar City Development Authority has frowned at the arbitrary location of gas and fuel stations at residential areas in Calabar.
The agency promised to expedite action to close down defaulting operators or have them relocated as they continuously pose security threat to the teeming public.
This was made known by the Director General of the agency, Mr. Kingsley Ikpeme while speaking to CrossRiverWatch .
“While the agency commiserates with the residents of Effio-ette junction in Calabar on the recent incident of the gas station explosion, we are calling on the owners of this gas and fuel stations located at residential areas in Calabar to as a matter of urgency relocate such businesses and structures,” said Ikpeme.
He added that if the directive is not followed; “such structures will be demolished at the cost of the perpetrators and they will be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others, due to the health and security implications of siting such businesses at residential areas.”
Also, Mr. Ikpeme warned against building of structures under power lines.
He averred that: “Those who are fond of erecting structures and businesses under high tension and communication mast (should) urgently remove such illegal structures to avoid the wrath of the law and save innocent lives and property”
The explosion which occurred on Tuesday evening last week, at a gas refilling station located at the Effio-ette roundabout axis of the MCC Road left one seriously injured said the spokesperson of the police command in the state, ASP Irene Ugbo.
Calabar has been on the news several times in the past 18 months due to explosions from hydrocarbon products especially adulterated kerosene.
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