DPR Seals 22 Erring Fuel Outlets In Jos

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Thursday, August 20th, 2015

Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – In its efforts to ensure strict adherence to the approved pump price of N87 for petrol, the Department of Petroleum Resources, (DPR) in Plateau State has sealed 22 fuel stations in Jos/Bukuru metropolis over non-compliance with Government directive official price and for conniving with “Black Marketers” to defraud consumers.

This was disclosed by the State’s Operation Controller of the DPR, Idris Abubakar. He confirmed the development routine checks started since Monday this week to ensure the Marketers comply with directives of selling fuel at official pump price.

Abubakar said, “The DPR is working to ensure sanity in the downstream sector. This State has no fewer than 55 illegal stations who are not complying with relevant directives in their mode of operations”.

He assured that appropriate punishments would be visited on defaulters, so that they comply and do the needful in their operations.

Meanwhile, Head, Retails Outlet and Marketing, Shehu Yusuf who led the team on an inspection tour to fuel stations in Jos North and Jos South LGAs assured that illegal operators would be flushed out for the masses to benefit from the downstream policy.

Some of the sealed gas stations were on account of non-compliance with the government approved price of N87 per liter, selling PMS products in Jerri cans to black marketers, selling with faulty or adjusted pumps among other offenses.

Yusuf lamented: “Some stations sell it at N97 and some even above N100 even when their pump price read N87. 00” “The punishment for violating DPR policy varies depending on the kind of offense a station commits. Those selling for Black Marketers would be sanctioned for three months.” He warned.

Meanwhile, the ongoing exercise has caused temporary fuel scarcity in the Jos metropolis, as most stations abandoned their stations for fear of being sanctioned and some who opened for business closed early.