The
Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says N2 million fine will be
imposed on any petrol filling station in Kwara State hoarding, cheating
and indulging in sharp practices.
DPR Operation Controller in the state, Mr Salvation Philip, said this on Wednesday when he led a team on inspection of some petrol stations in the state.
According to him, apart from paying the fine, the affected stations will also be suspended for two months.
The warning came on the heels of lingering fuel crisis in Ilorin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that few filling stations in Ilorin and environs, which have the product, have long queues of motorists.
Philip said the measure would not only send warning signal to marketers but also deter others believed to be perpetrating the unpatriotic act.
He said hoarding of fuel was criminal and would be treated as such.
The controller said that the affected station would be banned from lifting fuel in any depot of the country.
He said that DPR would formally communicate to the erring companies the embargo placed on their operations.
He said that the department was disturbed by unwholesome activities of some station owners because their illegal practice affected business activities and masses in the state.
During the inspection, the monitoring team visited a petrol station on Ajase-Ipo Road, and discovered that the station was selling at N120 per litre, contrary to the official price of N87.
The DPR boss directed the station to immediately revert to the approved price and warned that the agency would not tolerate sabotage.
About 3,200 litres of petrol was discovered in another station on the road when the team visited the station.
The station manager claimed that the product was reserved for the owner of the station.
Philip described the action as a clear case of hoarding, warning that the agency might impose N2 million fine on the station.
“Hoarding in this critical time is criminal and we would treat it as such.
“I don’t think it is a good thing to keep fuel for personal use while members of the public it is meant to serve are denied.
“From now, this act of sabotage would be meted with full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to others.
“Any station found wanting will pay N2 million fine and would be suspended for two months,’’ he said.
The controller said that the monitoring of filling stations in the state was to ensure compliance with the laid down rules and regulations governing oil and gas sector in the country.
Meanwhile, as the effect of fuel scarcity bite harder in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the inspection teams of the DPR, Ibadan field office, yesterday sealed off no fewer than 50 filling stations across the state for various offences.
In an interview with journalists, Operations Controller, Mr Olakunle Ogunlana, described the fuel scarcity as ‘artificial’ and informed that “government is doing enough to ensure availability of petroleum products across the country and will not hesitate to deal with saboteurs.”
He added that the sealing exercise and subsequent sanction became inevitable as some independent fuel marketers in the state continually take undue advantage of unsuspecting public by selling the product far above the government approved pump price.
Acting on tip-off and series of complaints from the members of the public in certain parts of the state, the staff of the Department, in separate teams with the assistance of men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) visited the interior parts of the state where sharp practices are most rampant.
According to sources around Apete area where one of the teams inspected, the pump price of petrol sells between N105 and N110 per litre and an additional charge of N100 for every 10litres bought. Also, another filling station located on Sango-Eleyele Road was sealed off for selling above the government approved pump price.
Romkol Global Oil, Apete, Solace Global Resources Limited, Apete, Muhatorm Petroleum Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited all in Awotan-Iludun, Mericom Business Heritage, Arola, Towafad Interbiz Limited, Arola and Gilog Oil Nigeria Limited, Awotan were also sealed off.
The team that inspected Apata, Ashipa, New-Garage, Arapaja and its environs also sealed more than 20 stations. Notably are Moore Filling Station at Apata Odo Ona which was sealed for selling PMS at N110 per litre and its refusal to revert to government approved price and D-Nest, Apata/New Garage Expressway, Kuola which got sealed for selling at N100 per litre while Sabara oil, Oleyo road, Ashipa was sealed for selling above pump price.
Two stations operated by Fem Mesh, at Ijebu Ode Road and Arapaja junction were sealed for refusing to sell fuel to awaiting public claiming they left it in reserve.
After the exercise, Ogunlana said: “it is the gimmick of the marketers to make it look as if government is not paying subsidy but government is paying. Even despite the directive to cut down on importation, it is still the duty of importers to import as long as they have the license to do so.”
He further hinted the determination of his team to enforce government’s directive to the letter and urged fuel marketers in the state to exhibit act of patriotism.
The teams of inspectors also inspect storage tanks of many filling stations in Sango, Apete, Arola and the environs that are not selling to confirm if they had stock or had diverted same.
Earlier in the operation, a mild drama played out when the team got to Nipco adjacent The Polytechnic Ibadan where fuel was selling for N100 per litre. After questioning the manager, the team ensured that the selling price was immediately reversed to N87 instead of sealing off the station.
The decision then resulted to wild jubilation and commendation from the large crowd who claimed to have stayed at the station for over 10 hours
DPR Operation Controller in the state, Mr Salvation Philip, said this on Wednesday when he led a team on inspection of some petrol stations in the state.
According to him, apart from paying the fine, the affected stations will also be suspended for two months.
The warning came on the heels of lingering fuel crisis in Ilorin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that few filling stations in Ilorin and environs, which have the product, have long queues of motorists.
Philip said the measure would not only send warning signal to marketers but also deter others believed to be perpetrating the unpatriotic act.
He said hoarding of fuel was criminal and would be treated as such.
The controller said that the affected station would be banned from lifting fuel in any depot of the country.
He said that DPR would formally communicate to the erring companies the embargo placed on their operations.
He said that the department was disturbed by unwholesome activities of some station owners because their illegal practice affected business activities and masses in the state.
During the inspection, the monitoring team visited a petrol station on Ajase-Ipo Road, and discovered that the station was selling at N120 per litre, contrary to the official price of N87.
The DPR boss directed the station to immediately revert to the approved price and warned that the agency would not tolerate sabotage.
About 3,200 litres of petrol was discovered in another station on the road when the team visited the station.
The station manager claimed that the product was reserved for the owner of the station.
Philip described the action as a clear case of hoarding, warning that the agency might impose N2 million fine on the station.
“Hoarding in this critical time is criminal and we would treat it as such.
“I don’t think it is a good thing to keep fuel for personal use while members of the public it is meant to serve are denied.
“From now, this act of sabotage would be meted with full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to others.
“Any station found wanting will pay N2 million fine and would be suspended for two months,’’ he said.
The controller said that the monitoring of filling stations in the state was to ensure compliance with the laid down rules and regulations governing oil and gas sector in the country.
Meanwhile, as the effect of fuel scarcity bite harder in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the inspection teams of the DPR, Ibadan field office, yesterday sealed off no fewer than 50 filling stations across the state for various offences.
In an interview with journalists, Operations Controller, Mr Olakunle Ogunlana, described the fuel scarcity as ‘artificial’ and informed that “government is doing enough to ensure availability of petroleum products across the country and will not hesitate to deal with saboteurs.”
He added that the sealing exercise and subsequent sanction became inevitable as some independent fuel marketers in the state continually take undue advantage of unsuspecting public by selling the product far above the government approved pump price.
Acting on tip-off and series of complaints from the members of the public in certain parts of the state, the staff of the Department, in separate teams with the assistance of men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) visited the interior parts of the state where sharp practices are most rampant.
According to sources around Apete area where one of the teams inspected, the pump price of petrol sells between N105 and N110 per litre and an additional charge of N100 for every 10litres bought. Also, another filling station located on Sango-Eleyele Road was sealed off for selling above the government approved pump price.
Romkol Global Oil, Apete, Solace Global Resources Limited, Apete, Muhatorm Petroleum Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited all in Awotan-Iludun, Mericom Business Heritage, Arola, Towafad Interbiz Limited, Arola and Gilog Oil Nigeria Limited, Awotan were also sealed off.
The team that inspected Apata, Ashipa, New-Garage, Arapaja and its environs also sealed more than 20 stations. Notably are Moore Filling Station at Apata Odo Ona which was sealed for selling PMS at N110 per litre and its refusal to revert to government approved price and D-Nest, Apata/New Garage Expressway, Kuola which got sealed for selling at N100 per litre while Sabara oil, Oleyo road, Ashipa was sealed for selling above pump price.
Two stations operated by Fem Mesh, at Ijebu Ode Road and Arapaja junction were sealed for refusing to sell fuel to awaiting public claiming they left it in reserve.
After the exercise, Ogunlana said: “it is the gimmick of the marketers to make it look as if government is not paying subsidy but government is paying. Even despite the directive to cut down on importation, it is still the duty of importers to import as long as they have the license to do so.”
He further hinted the determination of his team to enforce government’s directive to the letter and urged fuel marketers in the state to exhibit act of patriotism.
The teams of inspectors also inspect storage tanks of many filling stations in Sango, Apete, Arola and the environs that are not selling to confirm if they had stock or had diverted same.
Earlier in the operation, a mild drama played out when the team got to Nipco adjacent The Polytechnic Ibadan where fuel was selling for N100 per litre. After questioning the manager, the team ensured that the selling price was immediately reversed to N87 instead of sealing off the station.
The decision then resulted to wild jubilation and commendation from the large crowd who claimed to have stayed at the station for over 10 hours
