By Danzumi Ishaku Jalingo.
The Operations Controller Department of Petrol Resources DPR, Taraba state filled office Jalingo, Mr Jeremiah Mashat has carried out an rating surveillance which lead to the sealing of 12 filling stations that sales petroleum products above the Government’s price of N145 per litre in Taraba.
Mr Jeremiah Mashat, Operational Controller in Jalingo who lead the surveillance operation on Wednesday in Jalingo and Wukari towns said the operation was effective.
Mishak said that those petrol stations that were sealed must pay their fines slammed upon them by the department before the ‘stop work seal’ posted on their dispensers would be removed.
The Controller said four stations were sealed in Jalingo, the state capital, six sealed in Wukari town, two got sealed in Gassol local government area.
He said that the operation would go round the state, adding that the deployment of more staff of the department from other offices would ensure more efficiency.
According to Mr Jeremiah Mashat Federal government was already paying for subsidy on Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) and regretted why marketers would be shortchanging the citizens.
He assured the public that the department would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that marketers do not shortchange the citizens in Taraba.
The Controller however, said that the level of compliance by marketers was impressive, pointing out that some were doing the right thing before the inspection.
He explained that the violations were not only on pump price compliance but environmental safety of the facilities was also inspected and some were sanctioned for such negligence.
According to him, our areas of coverage includes quality, quantity, safety and licensing of petrol marketing facilities.
“We came out for the routine surveillance operation and were able to inspect about 24 petrol service stations and sealed up 12 out of the number for violation of DPR regulations.
” Some were fined for gross under dispensing of the products while others were fined due to non compliance to ensuring safety their facilities and diversion.
“Although, those who wished to pay their fines through Remittal, under the Treasury Single Account of the federal government, and after they might have corrected their inadequacies, will be unsealed for their sales.
” The federal government is already paying subsidy on PMS and marketers are not expected to sale above the official pump price.
“The DPR will ensure that the public is not shortchanged by these marketers and we have also addressed the challenge of staff inadequacy.
” We are expecting more staff who will be deployed from other offices to our office here in Jalingo to ensure effectiveness in our surveillance operations.
“Above all, I urge all the marketers to comply with all the to do the heedful to ensure adherence to petroleum downstream regulations’, He said
Nigerian pilot reports that some of the marketers shot down include, NNPC Mega Station Jalingo Wukari Road, MRS Nigeria Limited, Fort Oil, Habu Nick Nigeria Limited Jalingo and Elohim Petroleum station among others.
Our correspondent also reports that some of the violators paid their fines which ranged from one hundred thousand and above depending on the gravity of the offence caught with.
