The Department of Petroleum Resources is enforcing the new price range of N121.5 to N123.5/litre for petrol at filling stations across the country and has shut down errant outlets selling above the stipulated rate.
It was gathered that all zonal operations controllers of the DPR agreed to inspect and enforce the new price after finding that some filling stations had yet to comply with the regulation on petrol prices.
Speaking during the inspection of filling stations in Abuja and neighbouring states on Wednesday, the Zonal Operations Controller, Abubakar Buba, said the DPR had also been notified that many outlets were under-dispensing products.
He said, “We are on surveillance to make sure that these marketers don’t cheat the public by selling above the pump price or by under-dispensing. Also, we are carrying out surveillance to make sure they don’t divert products to neighbouring states.”
On the compliance level of marketers to the new pump price of petrol, Buba stated that although he was impressed by the conduct of some dealers, a few others failed to comply.
He said the filling stations of defaulters had been shut by the agency until the companies were ready to comply with the new price.
Buba said, “In the Federal Capital Territory, I will commend the marketers to some extent because out of the 37 stations we visited, only two were found selling above the new pump price.
“Now for the two selling above the regulated price, we have sealed them up and we are only going to unseal them as they comply. The sealed filling stations are Ramaniya (at Minister’s Hill) and Yinzag Petroils at Mabushi.”
On reports that some stations under-dispensed products, Buba said, “We have noticed that and that is why we are going around. Since yesterday (Tuesday) up till this minute, we have been going around to make sure they dispense the right quantity to motorists.
“Anybody found wanting will have their station sealed and will pay the appropriate penalty, which is N100,000 per nozzle. In all the field offices in Nigeria, we have agreed to go out and make sure the public is not cheated.”
Some of the marketers pledged to continue to comply with the new price but decried the losses they were incuring.
