By Francis Sadhere, Warri
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office has sealed seven petroleum retail outlets in Delta over sharp practices.
Addressing newsmen on Thursday in Warri, Mr Olakanmi Ayodeji, the Assistant Director, Operation, DPR, Warri Zonal Office said that the erring filling stations were sealed on Tuesday.
He said that the retail outlets were sanctioned in Oleh, the administrative headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the stations were: Robor Nig. Ltd; Felimbuk Nig. Ltd; AP Oleh service station; Eskom Electrical Ltd; Mama G Divine Project; Dipaag Oil and Gas and another Felimbuk Nig. Ltd.
Ayodeji said that they were sealed over various offences bordering on under-dispensing, operating without valid licenses and hoarding.
He said that the surveillance team visited 17 outlets in the Ughelli/Isoko axis and shut down seven stations adding that four out of the remaining 10 filling stations were without products.
The surveillance team of the regulatory agency was led by Mr Gusau Sale, Chief Technical Officer of the DPR, Warri.
Ayodeji said that the agency would continue to sustain it’s surveillance across the state to check sharp practices among the marketers.
The assistant director said that the offenders would pay the stipulated fines to the Federal Government before they will be reopened for business.
“DPR sealed about seven petrol stations over various offences ranging from under-dispensing, operating without valid licenses and hoarding.
“The exercise was successful and we will continue to do follow up in the area and other parts of the state.
“We already have in our guidelines fines stipulated for the various offences to be paid. Once they pay, we go and unsealed and monitor them to ensure they do not under-dispensed to the public.
“We do not want the public to be shortchanged, we make sure they sell the right product, quantity and quality. That is the essence the surveillance,” he said.
Ayodeji warned the marketers against hoarding fuel noting that federal government had said it would not increase the petroleum pump price.
“Our people have been to the depots and trucks are loading, so marketers should not hoard product, anyone caught will be dealt with according to the DPR rules and regulations,” he said.
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