The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday said it has cancelled the reservation of petroleum products for institutions, and “special customers,” known as credit customers.
Speaking with reporters during the enforcement and monitoring of products sale in Abuja, its Zonal Operations Controller, Abuja, Mr. Mohammed Usman, said DPR has insisted that there is longer any “VIP” customer in the petrol stations.
All customers, according to him, are expected to pass through the same process to access petrol instead of the preferential treatment that some petrol stations accord some customers.
His comments followed the discovering that the Mobil in Lugbe Extension on Airport Road was hoarding the 3,900 litres of petrol in its underground tanks which the station manager reserved for “credit customers.” But the team compelled the manager to sell the product immediately.
He said: “DPR has cancelled that special reservations for special institutions. Every organisation is to queue up and get fuel like any other person. They had over 3,900 liters which could serve over 50 vehicles but we didn’t even meet up to 20 vehicles there because they said they reserved it for credit customers and DPR has cancelled credit customer.”
While at the station, a customer gave the DPR monitoring team a tip-off about an illegal petrol station in Iddo Sarki on the same airport road that was selling petrol for N170 per litre.
The anonymous petrol station was caught selling petrol for N150 per liter with an adjusted pump from its 3,900 liters stock that was under dispensed to customers.
The DPR forced the station to adjust the pump price to N86.50 per litre and the fuel attendant refused to disclose the source of the petrol.
Usman however explained that he refused to give order that the product should be sold free-of charge because of the risk involved.
According to him, when it is free, it is normally rowdy as some customers are always in a hurry to get the product by even serving themselves and a fight could ensue and cause a fire outbreak. He said DPR considers safety first before any other thing in its enforcement.
“Some of the customers will always seize the nozzle to serve themselves and these okada boys at times bring out daggers to ensure that they get the free petrol before it is exhausted. We experienced that the last time we tried that even with the director. We asked the director to leave because they can even lynch you,“ he said.
He said the team came out with reporters and armed officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to monitor sales as early as 6.00am “because it is mostly on this axis you see people selling fuel above the regulated pump price. We have it here. They are selling up to N150 per litre.”
The controller lamented that some illegal stations lifted consignments from the depot, adding that DPR would stop it.
He said: “They are not only selling above pump price but also under-dispensing. And the penalty for selling above the pump price is that for every pump, it will be charged N100,000. But this is a special problem and we are going to seal this station and station our staff and security here.”
The monitoring team also went ahead to other stations on airport road and discovered that NNPC Transjordan in Giri had 16,880 liters while Gosiyah in Gwagwala had 39,000 liters and they were selling to their customers.
The team sealed Stallionaire Energy Coastal Service whose workers escaped on sighting the DPR vehicles because customers revealed that it was selling petrol for N170 per liter. It sealed MRS in Gwagwalada temporarily for hoarding 1,200 liters . It also sealed an illegal station in Gessa Sauka from which the owners escaped.
Commenting on the entire observation after inspecting sales in over 10 petrol stations on Airport Road and Gwagwalada, he said most of the petrol stations had products but they were either hoarding the products or under-dispensing them. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Wicked Nigerian put all the blame on the government. But they have failed and wicked in their own little Nigeria they are governing.
ReplyDeleteMarketers are not happy with the removal of subsidy and FG policy because of their selfish act. They are the PROBLEM and not FG