Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Determined to curb fuel scarcity during the Yuletide, the Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR), has finalised plans to sanction erring marketers for six months.
The Head, Downstream Monitoring and Regulations of DPR, Ijeoma Onyeri, made this known, in Abeokuta, at the maiden Annual General Meeting of the DPR, Abeokuta Field Office.
According to Onyeri, the sanction was based on the mandate given to the Department by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu on the need to curb hoarding and diversion of petroleum product, most especially the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol.
Represented by the Acting Assistant Director, Retail Outlets Monitoring, Lagos, Isah Ibrahim, also ruled out any plan by the government to increase price of petroleum product, warning against panic buying by both the public and the marketers.
“It’s important to note that as we approach the yuletide period, the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, has mandated the DPR to suspend any defaulting marketer, be it depot or a petrol filling station station found engaging in hoarding or diversion of petroleum product, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), for a period not less than six months while stiffer fine will be imposed in addition to the above,” she said.
She equally disclosed that the DPR will soon launch the Minimum Industry Safety Training for Downstream Operations (MISTDO) as part of initiatives to improve on safety of life and property in the downstream sector operations.
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Earlier in her welcome address, DPR Operations Controller of Abeokuta Field Office, Mrs. Muinat Bello-Zagi, said the AGM was to offer stakeholders opportunity to interact, share knowledge, ideas and experiences in order to continually improve on the DPR activities in Ogun and Nigeria at large.
She said within one year that Abeokuta office was created, DPR had ensured smooth operations of the downstream sector including diversion of products, under-dispensing among others
“Some of the issues we had to deal with include proliferation of illegal LPG operations, diversion of products, under-dispensing and unserviceable fire extinguishers but with your collective efforts and support, we have made notable strides in ensuring a safer and sustainable operation across the value chain for our stakeholders in Ogun State”. She added.