DPR begins 24-hour surveillance on depots, filling stations

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it has set up a 24-hour special task force to supervise and monitor petrol sales at depots and stations.

It said that the task force would sanction depots and stations selling above the recommended price.

Mrs Dorothy Bassey, Assistant Director, Public Affairs in DPR, disclosed this in telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

Bassey said the special team was set up purposely for the Yuletide with powers to take over the sale of the product from those selling above the approved price.

She said that the agency had met with stakeholders to convey government’s displeasure on illegal sale of petrol above the stipulated price and the long queues at the filling stations.

The DPR warned that those involved in the criminal act would henceforth lose their licence under the new steps being taken by agency to enforce discipline.

“We have instituted 24-hour surveillance by special task force which we are not going to disclose their identity because we don’t want them to be harassed.

Bassey said that those selling petrol above the pump price were doing so at night.

She said that any station caught would be forced to sell at the official price “so that we don’t seal them to compound the scarcity”.

She said that the agency had some dedicated numbers on its Website through which Nigerians could send their complaints.

Meanwhile, some marketers, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the ongoing petrol scarcity would persist as government had failed to address issue of foreign exchange hindering fuel importation.

They said that marketers were willing to import fuel, but scarcity of foreign exchange remained a serious challenge.

Our correspondent who monitored sale of petrol in parts of Lagos on Thursday, reported that queues were seen in some filling stations on Ikorodu Road, Maryland and Alaka area.

Many stations were still not selling petrol.

Some stations in Epe, Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu were selling petrol between N100 and N 110 per litre.