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DPR enforces safety standards for downstream operations - Edoman - 03-04-2020
DPR enforces safety standards for downstream operations
![[Image: Sarki-Auwalu.jpg]](https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Sarki-Auwalu.jpg)
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has stated that effective from 1st of September, 2020, it will begin the strict enforcement of its Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations (MISTDO), noting that no personnel would be allowed to engage in downstream operations without MITSDO training.
The Director and Chief Executive Officer, DPR, Sarki Auwalu, stated that the enforcement which would kick off in several States in the federation, would be extended nationwide effective from January 1st, 2021.
Auwalu stated this at a stakeholders’ engagement on MITSDO aimed at promoting operational safety in the downstream sector, in Lagos.According to him, “This implies that no personnel will be allowed to engage in downstream operations without MISTDO training in these States namely: Lagos, Ogun, Edo, Rivers, Imo, Enugu, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Nassarawa, Gombe. It is expected that all downstream workers should be trained.
“Effective from January 1st 2021, compliance will be extended nationwide. In addition, effective January 21st, 2021 we will also be renewing licenses if and only if we confirm that the operator has met our safety requirements.”
He bemoaned that the level of destruction caused by fire and gas related accidents is huge, saying that the introduction of MISTDO would bring down the incessant fire outbreaks and accidents in the downstream sector to the barest minimum.
“Some of these incidents have come from fallen tankers, petrol station fires, gas explosion and vandalism. Our records show that 70 per cent of accidents in the Nigerian oil and gas industry between 2013 and 2019 occurred in the downstream sector,” he said.
Auwalu said to reverse this trend, the DPR had put in place enhanced regulatory strategies for downstream facilities development and operations monitoring targeted at the people, the process and the equipment.
“We are leveraging on technology to save Nigerian lives working in the industry, before now it is very hard to track number of trucks carrying products from all the depots we have to all the filling stations in the country. The issue of safety, property loss and environmental damage is so enormous, we are using technology to create a platform whereby workers in the industry will go there train themselves, get certified and by doing that we have the record of every individual working in the industry
“MITSDO is an interactive portal that is translated in three Nigerian languages and previously, we were witnessing gas explosions, MITSDO will take care of the necessary things that would check against gas explosions,” he added.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, James Manager, said the oil and gas industry is very volatile, advising that operators, business community and stakeholders to be safety conscious.He lauded DPR for the initiative, pointing out that training and educating people on safety is very apt for the downstream sector.
The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Hauwa Olowookere, said safety is everybody’s business, restating the Corps’ commitment to support DPR to driving safety in the downstream sector.
The Head of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), DPR, Olusanya Bajomo, said MITSDO, provides a platform for marketers, regulators and the business community to converge to ensure safety in the nation’s downstream industry.