From: Ali Abare, Gombe
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed six filling stations across Gombe State for offences bothering on selling above the official pump price of N145 as well as hoarding of products.
One filling station, Tukur Dahiru Mohammed NIgeria Limited, was sealed for allegedly diverting 26, 000 litres of petrol.
Controller of Operations at the Gombe Field Office, Abdullahi Abawa, said the department has embarked on an operation to regulate the activities of fuel dispensation in order to reduce hardships faced by commuters because of fuel scarcity.
The controller spoke with journalists, on Thursday.
Abawa said it was the responsibility of DPR to regulate activities in the oil business particularly now that there’s the scarcity of fuel across the country.
DPR officials had to force some filling stations to open and directed the sell of products to the public.
He accused oil marketers for the prevailing fuel scarcity as according marketers do not help matters through product diversion as well as selling above pump price.
“The situation is subsisting because oil marketers are not cooperating, difficult and inconsiderate. Why would anybody like to inflict hardships on fellow citizens?” he said.
Abawa warned that DPR would not fold its arms and “allow impunity to continue with reckless abandon.”
He said to that end, the agency was embarking on a ten-day surveillance exercise to ensure that filling stations are dispensing fuel at the official pump price of N145.
Abawa added that the department would look into the issues leading to the sealing of the filling stations with a view to enforcing appropriate sanctions.
At the AYM filling station, located in Yarima Quarters area of Gombe, DPR officials forced the marketer to adjust their pump price from N210 to the official rate of N145.
The officials further directed the manager of the filling station to sell the entire product in storage to the public before sealing the station.
In a chat with Daily Sun, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, state chairman of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) blamed the unavailability of fuel at the loading depots as responsible for the prevailing fuel scarcity.
Ibrahim said as he spoke, over 150 trucks from Gombe are awaiting to uplift products from Lagos.
“Most people don’t know that there is no fuel supply at the depot. It’s our business to lift and transport fuel but right now our trucks are laying idle in Lagos waiting for supply,”he said.
Most consumers in Gombe commended the DPR for embarking on the operation to regulate the sell of fuel, adding that most marketers were exploiting consumers by jerking up the pump price to as high as N300 per litre.
A consumer, Danladi Shehu who was excited at the chance to fill the tank of his car, expressed gratitude to DPR officials.
“It’s now that we know something is being done to address the biting fuel scarcity. We pray that you succeed in your endeavors,” he said.