Nairobi, 21st November 2024
Nairobi County Officers from different sectors were today sensitized on Energy and Petroleum regulatory issues, mainly focusing on compliance, safety and quality in order to equip them with prerequisite knowledge and information required in guaranteeing safety and compliance.
The meeting was a collaboration between Nairobi City County’s Disaster Management Department and Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) aimed at enhancing the participants understanding on the Authority’s mandate, increase safety awareness in dealing, handling and use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Petroleum products and increase compliance of licensees and dealers for quality and safety.
The workshop also sought to enhance areas of collaboration between Nairobi County and the EPRA, against the backdrop of the mushrooming of unlicensed LPG distributors, retailers and transporters encouraging circulation of invalidated cylinders and the thriving of illegal storage and refilling plants which pose a great risk to consumers and the general public.
The County Chief Officer for Disaster Management Mr. Bramwel Simiyu said that the sensitization forum was a brainchild of Nairobi Governor H.E Sakaja Johnson and the EPRA Director General Mr. Daniel Kiptoo, adding that the initiative aligns with Governor’s manifesto and promise to Nairobians to create a city of order, hope, dignity and opportunity for everyone. “This can only happen if residents’ safety and security is guaranteed”. Pointed out Mr. Simiyu.
The County Chief Officer termed the discussions as important for each party to understand their role, adding that they all have a collective responsibility of mitigating and preventing fire incidences from happening. He went on to mention that issues of fire incidences especially those caused by LPG and Petroleum products have a serious implication from loss of lives to loss of property.
Ms. Anne Kiprotich, the Deputy Director for Public Education and Advocacy pointed out that the County government has a big role to play in terms of licensing, surveillance and enforcement, noting the need for synergized efforts for effectiveness and improved compliance and safety.
She added that Nairobi County and EPRA will work together in cascading the sensitization programs on the safe practices in handling petroleum products and electricity to the Sub-Counties.
The County Chief Officer for Public Participation, Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Ms. Zipporah Mwangi assured of her department’s support in reaching out and empowering communities in the grass root level.
Speaking also at the same event Mr. Bernard Kiala, the County Chief Officer in charge of the Boroughs and Sub County Administration said that the workshop came at the right time when the County was grappling with several fire incidences. He added that such engagements are important to enable the team agree on what could be done better to prevent such occurrences.
The County Director, Revenue Administration Dr. John Ntoiti observed that there is a lot of revenue sources in energy and Petroleum products which could benefit the County, if the sector was well regulated.
The forum provided the participants with an opportunity to engage on the critical issues that needs to be addressed such as ;cross filling, unlicensed retailers, transporters and plants, fuel siphoning dens/site, under-dispensing, Fuel tanker accidents Petroleum, tanker parking.
On electricity the issues include; Transformer vandalism for transformer fuel, Electricity infrastructure vandalism for scrap metal, illegal connections / Electricity theft. LPG and Petroleum facilities within residential areas. Change of use from industrial to residential in areas with pre-existing LPG and petroleum installations.
The participants included Sub county Administrators, Officers from departments of; Environment, Licensing, Urban Planning, Revenue administration, Security and Compliance, trade and markets and Officers from EPRA (department of public Education and advocacy) and the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO).
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