DPR cautions marketers against unauthorised increase in pump price of petrol

…seals 5 filling stations for over-pricing, other infractions in Kwara

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Bauchi Office, has cautioned petroleum marketers in the state against unauthorised increase in the pump price of  Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol.

Malam Abdullahi Iliyasu, the Operations Controller in the office, said this in an interview with journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday.

Iliyasu maintained that N162 remains the official pump price per litre of the commodity.

He said the Federal Government has not increase the price of the commodity and warned that any marketer found short changing consumers would be sanctioned appropriately.

The controller said that the department would intensify surveillance across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state to ensure compliance with the existing price regime.

He said that toward this, the office would work closely with relevant stakeholders for effective monitoring of depots and retail outlets for strict compliance with extant rules of the department.

Iliyasu, however, commended the state chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN) for its cooperation with the department.

Meanwhile, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed up five petrol stations in the Ilorin metropolis over selling fuel above the official pump price of N165, boarding and under-dispensing.

It was reported that a fortnight ago some fuel stations in parts of the country including Abuja and Ibadan in speculation of an increase in the price of petrol closed their stations.

Some others that were selling increased their pump price of petrol to between N170 and N200 and this resulted in queues in the few fuel stations that were opened to customers, a situation that lingered until last Friday.

The emphatic pronouncement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that the FG had not increased the price of petrol was what reversed the situation and the fuel stations earlier closed reopened.

Speaking with journalists after monitoring of over 35 filling stations in Ilorin on Tuesday, the DPR Operations Comptroller, Ilorin field office, Mr Sule Yusuf, said that there was no plan to increase fuel price in the country.

“We observed that operators seem to be taking laws into their hands by selling over what government has allowed them to sell, especially, for petrol.

“We’ve been going out to monitor before, and we’ll continue to do that. Today is just special because we are out to monitor price, quality, quantity and pump efficiency.

“Two teams of the DPR officials went out this morning in different directions. We visited about 35 filing stations out of which five have been sealed. They know the consequences.

“They’ll only be reopened when they show remorse, pay sanction fees and comply. About three stations were caught over-pricing.

“We’ve forced them to bring the price down to allowable range and they’ve complied so that they don’t continue cheating the public.

“For now, there’s no increase in pump price, so they have to comply. If any station is selling above window range of N162 and N165 per litre, people should inform the authority.

“We’ll visit those stations and force them to comply in addition to sanction,” the DPR comptroller said.

He advised consumers to be vigilant so they are not cheated, adding that they should get value for their money.

“Operators are advised to play the game according to rules to avoid being sanctioned. Yes, they are out to make profits but not at the detriment of majority of the public.” he said.