Abuja – The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has sealed 22 filling stations in Jos for failing to adjust their fuel pump price from N97 to N87 per liter.
The Head of Operation of DPR, Mr Idris Abubakar, said the closure took place between Aug. 17 and Aug. 20.
Some of the sealed stations included Mobil on Zaria road, Yankari oil, Jofenba Global Tudun Wada, Hariz Petroluem and many others on Bauchi and Zaria roads.
He said the closure was to enforce compliance with dispensing petrol at the official pump price of N87 per liter to the public.
“We want to ensure sanity in the oil industry and this will be a continuous exercise to stop marketers from short-changing consumers.
Abubakar said the defaulters would be fined before being unsealed adding they would show evidence of compliance after reopening.
“Each company sealed will pay a fine of N100,000 before it is allowed to re-start business’’, he said.
He pleaded with motorists to be patient while the department to enforce a positive change in the oil sector.
Abubakar also assured the public that DPR was working hard in monitoring stations and to eliminate illegal outlets.
The department also sealed six filling stations in Katsina State for selling petrol above the official pump price.
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DPR Field Operation Controller in Katsina State, Alhaji Muhammad Sani, said four of the filling stations were sealed for lack of proper license to operate.
“The other two were sealed for selling above approved price of N87 per liter.’’
He said filling stations with expired or no license would be allowed to operate if they regularized their documents with the department.
“Those caught for selling petrol above the official price will be fined N100,000. Marketers of petroleum products should regularise their documents as at when due to avoid embarrassment.
The operation controller said the department had visited 100 filling stations and would continue to intensify surveillance to sensitise marketers and enforce regulations on sale of fuel.
He warned the marketers against hoarding and under dispensing the product. “Anybody caught would be sanctioned accordingly.
“We have started surveillance and we will continue to ensure that all supplied products reached their destinations and sold to the public at the approved price’’, he said. (NAN)
