DPR seals 27 filling stations for selling above government price in Akwa Ibom

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket field office says it sealed 27 filling stations for selling above government approved pump price of N145 per litre in the state.

Mr Bassey Nkanga, the Operations Controller of DPR gave the figures when Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), paid courtesy call to the department in Eket on Saturday.

He said that the filling stations were sealed between January and February in the state.

Nkanga threatened to sanctioned marketers that do not sell petroleum products at government control prices and frowned at them for selling above government approved price of N145 per litre.

“We are aware that some of the marketers sell above government approved pump price. We are saying no.

“We are going to surmount those challenges. Government have risen to these challenges and every form of these challenges will be totally surmounted,’’ Nkanga said He said that the department would not rest on its oars to ensure that petroleum products are sold at government approved price in the state.

“I want to appeal that this is not time for people to make huge profit, the pricing template of PMS have not change. “We will not allow any marketer to sell above government price and if they don’t want to sell at control price, they should stop selling,’’ Nkanga warned.

He, however, said some marketers had undergone undertaking with the department to sell at control price.

He added some marketers have started paying their fines and the department has unsealed their stations. Nkanga warned marketers lifting from NNPC products to desist from

selling above government approved pump price, saying that the department would not tolerate that.

“The Government is doing everything to address and handle these challenges, these challenges will soon be a thing of the past in few days. He said the department was working with other government agencies to ensure that marketers/IPMAN members were not sub-charged unnecessarily.

Responding, Mr Ubong Isong, IPMAN Chairman Akwa Ibom Chapter thanked the DPR for giving them audience, saying that he came to introduce the new Exco members to the department.

He said that IPMAN members were against adulteration of petroleum products in the state while promising to sensitise surface tank dealers on the need to acquire license from their members.

“We do not want to encourage our members to do sharp practices or adulterates petroleum products in the state,’’ he said.