…orders Conoil filling station to sell at N80 per litre for under-dispensing
…Sells Free Fuel to Public
By Francis Sadhere
The Department Of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Warri, Delta State, has sealed up six filling stations for hoarding fuel while it has also ordered the management of Conoil Filling Station at the Udu road branch to dispense fuel to the public at N80 per litre for under dispensing to the public.
The operation which lasted for more than five hours saw the DPR personnel sealing up the following filling stations; Mobile filing station by Warri garage, Frankies Concern Ltd, Jeroh Petroleum Ltd, J. Tamah NIG. Ltd, Pagson Motors NIG Ltd, all in Udu road, Orogun Brothers Ltd and NNPC, both at Orhovwhorun road.
A mild drama played at Mobil filling station when DPR discovered that they were having some products but refused to sell and DPR ordered that the fuel should be sold to the public freely. But in a bid to play a fast one on DPR the filling station’s manager switch of their generating set and alleged that they have ran out of fuel, an act that infuriated the DPR personnel and led to the sealing of the station.
leading the group, Head of Operations Upstream Department, DPR, Mr. Obukororo Ovadje told journalists that they decided to embark on the exercise to ensure that the marketers are selling fuel at the regulated pump price.
He said some of the stations that were sealed were sealed because the marketers abandoned their filling stations and took their heels when the discovered that they (DPR) were coming, stressing that they have to seal them up as there was no way to check if they have product or not.
He added the exercise is going to be a continues one, adding that subsequently they will go to other places in the state and vowed that any marketer found wanting will be dealt with severely.
Also speaking to newsmen after ordering Coinoil filling station at Udu road to sell fuel to the public at N80 per litre for under dispensing, the Head of Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Agusa Goddey said the order was necessary just to serve as warning to other marketers.
He said DPR is poised to work for the general public as they are paid to so by the federal government, adding the monitoring exercise is a daily routine.
“We checked their pump and we saw that their pump was under dispensing to the tone of 11.35, which means that for every ten liters you buy they are cheating you with about 1.3 liters. For that reason we ordered that the pump should be adjusted and they should be selling for eighty naira to make for the difference, which they have complied,” Mr. Agusa said.
There was jubilation in the air as motorists, tricycle and motorcycle riders heard that the filling station has been ordered to sell at N80 per litre as they all queued up to buy the produce.
On the complains that DPR is working in collaboration with the marketers to perpetually punish the populace, Mr. Agusa said DPR staff are well disciplined and can never be involved in such act.
On his part, the Manager of Conoil filling station, Mr. Lawrence Oshevire said the under dispensing was as a result of mechanical failure, promising to service it immediately.
Another mild drama played out at Jakpa road, Uvwie local government area of the state as hundreds of motorists and tricycle riders besieged MANZ INT. INV. LTD filling station to get free fuel. The DPR staff had ordered the filling station to sell their product free to the public when they discovered that they we’re having product but refusing to sell to the public.
