TRACKING_____The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has sealed off four filling stations in Bayelsa State for selling Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) above the government-regulated price of N165 per litre, as well as under-dispensing the product to customers.
It also warned retailers and marketers of PMS, popularly known as petrol, to shun sharp practices capable of shortchanging consumers of the product in the state.
The Operations Controller, DPR, Yenagoa Field Office, Mr Ogbe Nicholas, gave the warning on Thursday during routine surveillance of petroleum retailing outlets in Yenagoa, the state capital and its environs.
The PMS retailing outlets sealed off in Yenagoa by the DPR during the exercise for shortchanging customers were B.M. Links Limited, Tamic Nigeria Limited, Ereboter Oil and Maccary Petroleum Nigeria Limited.
Speaking to newsmen after the inspection, Nicholas said they observed that some retailers were selling within range while others were selling above pump price and also under-dispensing the product by adjusting their meters.
He said, “Those who were under-dispensing, we sealed them off. At this juncture, we advise them to go and pay the necessary fines. There is a fine code that we have. When we see the evidence of payments of those penalties, we will go and unseal them.
“The payments are expected to be made to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Special Account.”
On the current price of the PMS, popularly called petrol, Nicholas said the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) which is responsible for the pricing of PMS was yet to increase it, thereby urging sellers to stick to the current price of between N162 and N165 per litre.
He advised fuel dealers to always go to DPR for necessary advice on rules and regulations guiding the business of petroleum resources.
The DPR boss, however, commended the NNPC mega filling station and some major oil dealers in the state for adhering to the pump price, non-adjustment of the PMS meter and asked others to follow their examples.
