DPR Seals Ten Filling Stations In Kogi

THE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has wielded its hammer by sealing 10 filling stations in Anyigba, Dekina LGA of Kogi State, for refusing to comply with official pump price of N86.50, and operating without valid licenses.

Another station belonging to a major marketer Total, though not having products, was sealed for being substandard; not having a canopy, while another filling station along Old Ogume Road, Anyigba, operating without business name and operation license was also sealed.

Amongst the other filling stations sealed includes Daira Oil Ltd, Syfran Investment Ltd, Daejo Oil Nig. Ltd, Forte Oil, Solag Resources Ltd, Lawharis Oil, Yusham Nig Ltd, Maphine Investment Ltd and Total Filling Station.

One of the customers, Ocheja Peter, who spoke to newsmen, praised the action of DPR, lamenting that filling stations in Anyigba have been cheating them for too long with over pricing, without recourse to the current economic situation. He, however, appealed to DPR to make the surveillance a daily affair to checkmate the excesses of the marketers.

A motorcyclist, Mohammed Shaibu, who witnessed the operation, commended the DPR surveillance team for the exercise and urged them to keep constant watch on filling stations in the area, adding that the operators are in the habit of cheating members of the public.

Out of about 20 filling stations visited, only two of them namely, Oando and Emmaliz Nig. Ltd were selling at the approved pump price and also met the required standards, while many of the marketers hurriedly closed shop and abandoned their stations upon sighting the DPR surveillance team in order to evade sanction.

One of the affected marketers, Isa Ocheje claimed his station was selling above the official pump price because it was an old stock, which he obtained at exorbitant cost.

DPR Controller, Engr. Amos Jokodola, who led the surveillance team to the area, said the affected filling stations would remain sealed until they pay appropriate fines and regularise their licenses.

Jokodola vowed that DPR would continue with its enforcement exercise across the state to ensure filling stations comply with approved pump price without shortchanging members of the public.

“We will continue in our efforts to enforce N86.50 pump price in Kogi State; that’s our target. Any marketer caught under dispensing will pay N100, 000. We are going to do a follow up to dismantle the pumps until the owners come to regularise .