DPR seals-off over 50 filling stations in Ibadan

The inspection teams of the Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Wednesday sealed-off no fewer than 50 filling stations across Oyo State. Olakunle Ogunlana, the Operations Controller, Ibadan field office who confirmed the sealed-off described the scarcity as ‘artificial’ explained that “government is doing enough to ensure availability of petroleum product across the country and will not hesitate to deal with saboteurs.” The action which led to sanction of the owners of the filling stations became inevitable as some independent fuel marketers in the state took undue advantage of unsuspecting public by selling the product far above the government approved pump price.

 He said other reasons for their action was to deal with the erring fuel marketers include, hoarding of petroleum product thereby creating artificial scarcity, absconding from station when people queue up to buy fuel and delaying sales of fuel product till late in the night to make illegal gains
Acting on tip-off and series of complaints from the members of the public on their ordeals from the fuel marketers in certain parts of the state, the staff of DPR, working in separate teams with the assistance of men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps visited the interior parts of the state where sharp practices were most rampant in an ongoing week-long exercise
It was learnt that at fuel was selling at N105 and N110 per litre and an additional charge of N100 for every 10 litres bought in some areas.
Fatoil located at the Sango-Eleyele road was sealed off for selling above the government approved pump price. Romkol Global Oil, Apete, Solace Global Resources Limited, Apete, Muhatorm Petroleum Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited all in Awotan-Iludun, Mericom Business Heritage, Arola, Towafad Interbiz limited, Arola and Gilog Oil Nigeria Limited, Awotan were also sealed off
The team that inspected Apata, Ashipa, New-Garage, Arapaja and its environs also sealed off more than twenty stations. Notably, Moore at Apata Odo Ona was sealed for selling PMS at N110/ltr and refusal to revert to government approved price and D-Nest, Apata/New Garage Expressway, Kuola sealed off for selling at N100/ltr. While Sabara oil, Oleyo road, Ashipa was sealed for selling above pump price, two stations operated by Fem Mesh, at ijebu Ode road and Arapaja junction were sealed for refusing to sell fuel to awaiting public claiming they left it in reserve
Speaking after the seal offs in Apata area, the OPSCON chairman said: “it is the gimmick of the marketers to make it look as if government is not paying subsidy but government is paying. Even despite the directive to cut down on importation, it is still the duty of importers to import as long as they have the license to do so.”
Reinstating the determination of his team to enforce government directive to the letter, Ogunlana urged fuel marketers in the state to be patriotic and save the public untold hardship.
Aside from the seal off, the teams of inspectors also engaged in inspecting the storage tanks of many filling stations in Sango, Apete, Arola and the environs to confirm if they had stock or had diverted them.