Fuel scarcity: DPR seals 6 filling stations in Gombe

From David Hassan Gombe

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday said it has sealed six filling stations across Gombe State for offences bothering on selling above the official pump price of N145 as well as hoarding of products.
One filling station, Tukur Dahiru Mohammed NIgeria Limited was sealed for diverting 26, 000 litres of petrol.
Controller of Operations at the Gombe Field Office, Abdullahi Abawa said the department has embarked on an operation to regulate the activities of fuel dispensation in order to reduce hardships faced by commuters because of fuel scarcity.
The controller spoke with journalists on Thursday.
Abawa said it’s the responsibility of DPR to regulate activities in the oil business particularly now that there’s the scarcity of fuel across the country.
DPR officials had to force some filling stations to open and directed the sale of products to the public.
He accused oil marketers for the prevailing fuel scarcity as according marketers do not help matters through product diversion as well as selling above pump price.
“The situation is subsisting because oil marketers are not cooperating, difficult and inconsiderate. Why would anybody like to inflict hardships on fellow citizens?” he said.
Abawa warned that DPR would not fold its arms and “allow impunity to continue with reckless abandon.”
He said to that end, the agency was embarking on a ten-day surveillance exercise to ensure that filling stations are dispensing fuel at the official pump price of
N145.
Abawa added that the department would look into the issues leading to the sealing of the filling stations with a view to enforcing appropriate sanctions.
At the AYM filling station located in Yarima Quarters area of Gombe, DPR officials forced the marketer to adjust their pump price from N210 to the official rate of N145.
The officials further directed the manager of the filling station to sell the entire product in storage to the public before sealing the station.

Most consumers in Gombe commended the DPR for embarking on the operation to regulate the sale of fuel, adding that most marketers were exploiting consumers by jerking up the pump price to as high as N300 per litre.