Over 20 gas stations were, on Thursday, shut down within Abakaliki, capital city by Ebonyi State, to forestall outbreak of fire.

The sealing followed the directive of the State Governor, Engr. Dave Umahi, that the stations should be shut down.

The governor had on Wednesday said the decision to shut down the stations became imperative to forestall possible outbreak of fire incidents in the state.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaeze, the governor said the closure of the gas stations was apt, especially in this period of harmattan.

Following the governor’s directive, a task force was raised to carry out the order.

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

Speaking after the exercise, 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.

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.

“The state capital today has been transformed into one of the most beautiful cities in the country and we cannot allow it to be put into danger,” he said.

Commissioner for Security, Stanley 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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