The Kwara State House of Assembly has ordered two owners of filling stations in Ilorin Metropolis to appear before it for operating illegally.

The filling Stations are M.M. Ibrolak interbiz at Agbo-oba and Juniwad Petrol Station at Ita-Merin areas of the metropolis.

Similarly, the owners of the petrol stations under construction along Oko-Erin, Kuntu, Abayawo and Ode Alawonla in Okelele have been summoned to appear before the House’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Proliferation of filling stations for failure to secure necessary documents before embarking on the construction.

The Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Barrister Kamaldeen Fagbemi, gave the directive in Ilorin during the Ad-Hoc Committee’s visit to some filling stations at Okelele, Abayawo, Alagbado, Kongbari and Muritala Mohammed way all in Ilorin Metropolis.

Barrister Fagbemi, accompanied by members of the Ad-Hoc Committee, hierarchy of the state Town Planning and Development Authority, Fire Service, Ministry of Environment and Forestry as well as the IPMAN, expressed disappointment over the indiscriminate construction of filling stations in residential area of the metropolis without regard for safety of lives and properties.

Fagbemi said that the House of Assembly would not fold its arms and watch the lives and properties of those who elected them into office being threatened by few individuals who were desperately looking for money.

The lawmaker explained that the State House of Assembly would give fair hearing to all parties concerned before taking a definite position on the matter.

Barrister Fagbemi directed the owners of the affected petrol stations to appear before the Ad-Hoc Committee with approval of the state Town Planning and Development Authority, Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR), State Fire Service and Environmental Assessment approvals, saying that failure would lead to closure of the affected filling stations.

He disclosed that the House would soon conduct public hearing on proliferation of filling stations in residential areas to have stakeholders’ inputs, with a view to finding an enduring solution to the problem and called on members of the public to cooperate with the legislature.

The Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics, Public Petitions, Privileges and Judiciary, equally assured that the House would address the issue holistically, saying that the House would ensure implementation of laws setting up a Town Planning Tribunal to ensure proper trial of culprits.

The executive secretary of the State Town Planning and Development Authority, Mr Oladele Adeoti had told the Ad-Hoc Committee that they had demolished some illegal filling stations under construction in the past, while his men, according to him, were usually beaten up by hoodlums hired by the owners of such illegal filling stations.

Most of the people living around the affected petrol stations praised the State House of Assembly for coming to their rescue, stressing that they were apprehensive of the risk of contending with petrol stations in their localities.

It would be recalled that the House had on August 20, constituted the Ad-Hoc Committee, following a motion moved by a member representing Ilorin North West Constituency Alhaji Abdulrafiu Abdulrahman along with Barrister Kamaldeen Fagbemi representing Oke-Ogun Constituency and Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi representing Owode/Onire Constituency on proliferation of filling stations in Ilorin Metropolis.