As part of
measures to ensure fuel queues disappear, monitoring teams of the Petroleum
Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Department of
Petroleum
Resources (DPR), yesterday, visited some filling stations to ensure compliance
with government’s directives on the sale of petrol.
In Lagos,
the Head, PPPRA, Dr. Chinedu Nwonu, who led the team, claimed most facilities
visited on the mainland sold at the approved pump price. He said those who
didn’t were forced to do so.
At Majok
Filling Station, Ladipo, the monitoring team seized filled gallons of fuel
because the gate of the station was closed to motorists, while fuel was being
dispensed into gallons.
A motorist,
Idris Olayiwola, who said he stayed on the queue for over 30 minutes, claimed
the station sold to motorists but limited the number of cars it allowed in.
At Mobil,
Mushin, vehicles were locked out while attendants dispensed to people with
gallons, and motorcyclists.A mild drama ensued at G&G Oil & Gas Ltd,
Mushin, as the station immediately stopped selling on sighting members of the
team. Motorists and residents in the area alleged the station sold at N200 per
litre. The manager declined speaking to newsmen.
The Head,
DPR Down Stream, Adamawa and Taraba States, Engineer Barnabas Adekpe, who led
the team, said there was enough petrol for motorists, but that some marketers
were hoarding the product.He said between Monday and Tuesday last week, the
state received 58 trucks of petrol and that more than 50 would arrive the state
before Sunday.
He stated
that the 24-hours enforcement become necessary to ensure marketers out to
frustrate government policies were checked.Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary,
Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DPPMA), Olufemi Adewole,
has said the current situation could worsen.Adewole said: “There is no need to
talk about supply problem. It is already there. We are not asking for subsidy
but we can’t import products and run at a loss.”
Industry
expert, Toyin Akinosho, said the situation could worsen the plight of motorists
unless it is handled sustainably.President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum
Explorationists (NAPE), Abiodun Adesanya, said government could have prevented
the current crisis by allowing market forces to determine price.
Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spokesman, Ndu Ughanmadu, said though the
landing cost is on the high side, the corporation, being the last importer of
resort, would continue to import product and incur necessary loses.
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