61 out of 85 stranded Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stations have been given clearance by the National Petroleum Authority to operate.

This comes after Cabinet lifted the ban on the construction of new LPG stations. Government in 2017 after the Atomic Junction explosion that led to the loss of lives and other properties placed a ban on the building of new LPG stations to sanitize the system.

But following a week’s sit-down strike by the Tanker Drivers Association in protest of the ban and other concerns, the government asked stranded LPG stations to present documents for onward processes.

The Public Relations Officer for the NPA, Mohammed Abdul-Kudus, in an interview with Citi News said the decision to allow the 61 stations to operate was arrived at after thorough engagements with cabinet.

“As we know, the earlier decision was taken by cabinet after the Atomic gas explosion. It was taken to prevent similar situations in the future.”

“Nevertheless, we have had to review the decision and allow for those whose LPG stations were already in the process. We are not working with fresh applications for now.”