Business
Ticking Time Bomb: Nigerians in danger for using expired gas cylinders
Many Nigerians are expected to be in imminent danger as a result of the ongoing usage of cooking gas cylinders that have passed their expiration dates.
Some people prefer to use reconditioned old gas cylinders instead of purchasing new ones in order to save money.
In addition to the rising worries, some dealers are flooding the market with inferior gas cylinders, according to a warning issued by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers’ Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Branch.
These practices are thought to put naïve consumers at risk because they are ignorant of the hazards hidden within the ostensibly innocent packaging.
Professionals educate Nigerians about the dangers of expired petrol cylinders.
The refurbished gas cylinders, given a fresh coat of paint and a shiny façade, may appear as harmless as their brand-new counterparts, but a hidden menace is waiting to unleash its destructive power.
According to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, some gas cylinders are fabricated locally without requisite quality control checks.
With time, the cylinders deteriorate, developing cracks and weak points that render these containers highly unstable and flammable. Joseph Usoro, manager at Lukas gas plant in Oshodi, Lagos, told reporters that using such faulty gas cylinders could be catastrophic.
He said: The consequences of such failures are nothing short of catastrophic and can range from injurious leaks to devastating explosions, leaving lives and properties in ruins.
It’s a ticking time bomb situation that demands immediate attention and action. Checking faulty cylinders with stringent regulations.
According to reports, cylinders that have been in use for more than 10 years are most at risk of developing cracks and other problems.
Tunde Jimoh, a Lagos-based gas cylinder dealer, tells reporters that even though the high cost of cylinders may be responsible for consumers using expired and refurbished ones, it doesn’t remove the dangers involved.
He said: Understandably, the prices of gas cylinders are on the high side, but the dangers ahead are too grave for one to ignore. An explosion from a faulty gas can cause an inferno of immense proportion, leading to loss of properties and lives.
Chike Osakwe, an Energy analyst, added to the awareness campaign saying the severity of the situation is escalated by the absence of stringent regulations and oversight surrounding the hazardous practices.
He said: With little to no quality control measures in place, substandard and potentially lethal cylinders flood the market, putting countless lives at risk. What’s even more concerning is the lack of stringent regulations and oversight surrounding this hazardous practice.
The absence of proper quality control measures allows substandard and potentially lethal cylinders to enter the market, putting innocent lives at risk. The public must be aware of the dangers of refurbished, expired, or substandard cylinders.
These cylinders are potential bombs waiting to explode, and the risks involved are too great to ignore. States with best and worst gas prices in Nigeria.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the average price of 5kg of cooking gas increased year-on-year by 22.03% to N4,610.48 in February 2023 from N3,778.30 in the same period the year before.
