The Kaduna zonal office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 53 filling stations and four gas stations over various offences including hoarding, diversion, and under-delivery among others. Zonal Operations Controller, Kaduna Zone, Isa Tafida, disclosed this to newsmen, yesterday, during the department’s routine surveillance on filling and gas stations in the state.
Tafida, who expressed optimism that Nigeria would stop importation of refined crude by 2020, assured that the department was collaborating with other security organisations across the country’s borders to checkmate the smuggling of refined products.
He added that “With the capacity of Dangote refinery and the influx of many other refineries into the country, in the next two to three years, Nigeria will stop importing refined products but rather refine here and sell to the public because of increased capacity and availability of the product.”
Tafida stated: “The exercise, which took place in the month of July, is part of the organisation’s responsibility of monitoring and supervising the activities of the oil and gas industry across the country, which is aimed at checking product hoarding and diversion, selling regulated products above the approved pump prices, under dispensing petroleum products, stations operating without valid licence or expired licence, operating under unsafe conditions and non-adherence to minimum safety standards.” He further explained that, “a total of 354 petrol stations were visited within the month and were found selling products below or at the approved pump prices of N143 to N145 per litre while 19 gas refilling plants were also visited.
The zonal operations controller said: “53 filling stations were sealed for various offences; 11 stations sealed for under-delivery to the public; 1 station sealed for over-delivery; 40 were sealed for non-compliance and adherence to safety regulations; and 1 was sealed for diversion of product.
“Additionally, four gas refilling plants were sealed for offences varying from operating without a valid licence, installation and upgrade without approval and non-compliance to safety standards. “Two plants were found to be operating illegally, i.e. construction and operation without a DPR licence and other statutory approvals of relevant agencies. “These were dismantled accordingly in addition to a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Add-on which had installed capacity in excess of its issued approval,” he stated.
