The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Bauchi, has cautioned retailers against the circulation of substandard Base Oil (Lubricant) products. Mr. Abdullahi Iliyasu, the Controller Operations of the Department, gave the charge in an interview, on Friday in Bauchi. Illiyasu said the Department had organised a two-day sensitisation workshop to create awareness on the dangers of using unprocessed lubricant (engine oil) in vehicles and other machines.

He said that the workshop targeted marketers of Base oil products to educate them on dangers associated with using such substandard products. “Unprocessed and substandard Lubricant (engine oil) cause damage to the engines of movable and unmovable machines such as cars, lorries, and power generators as it does not contain the necessary ingredients of processed oil.

“The usage of unprocessed engine oil constitutes a serious health hazard and contaminate the environment,” he said. Iliyasu called on retailers and dealers of such products to obtain business licenses and adhere to set standards. He advised marketers to source the products from the certified lubricating plants such as Oando, Total, and Amasco Companies, stressing that their products were of good quality.

According to him, the Department has registered seven companies to establish Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants in the state. He said the plants would be sited in seven Local Government Areas, adding that: “We will soon issue stipulated guidelines governing their operations.”

The controller added that prospectus businesses could obtain electronic licensing and permit online. He explained that the procedure of obtaining the licence and permit would be completed within 24 and 48-hours, adding that the agency was committed to ensuring compliance to extant rules and regulations governing its operations. DPR had sealed a number of fuel servicing stations in the state for violations of the rules and operational guidelines.