DPR Seals 5 Filling Stations in Imo
By Amby Uneze in Owerri
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), South east zonal office on Wednesdaybrought great relief to the public in Owerri, capital of Imo state, as it took the petroleum marketers by surprise in their on-going effort to enforce the approved pump price ofpremium motor spirit (PMS) of N86.50 per litre.
Leading the enforcement team, the Controller of the zone, Ogbuefi Morrison Nwokedi,ordered the sealing of five fillings stations in Owerri municipality and Nekede, Owerri West local council area of Imo State while many others were compelled to dispense the premium motor spirit to motorists at the government-approved pump price of N86.50 per litre.
At Oando filling station along Port Harcourt road, Owerri, the officials of the DPR also discovered that the station, which was one of those sealed, had over 61,000 litres of PMS but would not sell the product alleging faulty generating set.
But when an official of DPR, an engineer by profession, volunteered to fix it, it was discovered that it was in order.
Nwokedi not only ordered the sealing of the station but also directed the dealer to report to the office when he finally “fixes” the generator.However, the situation was different at Ebere Links where the product was being sold at N170 before the arrival of DPR officials, who immediately forced them to revert to the official pump price.
Answering questions from newsmen after the monitoring exercise, Ogbuefi Nwokedi said that the major interest was the full compliance with government’s directive on the sale of PMS.
According to him, “No marketer has so far given us any lead to justify the outrageous price tag they placed on the petroleum product. Until they do this, we will continue to insist on the government approved pump price”.
He alleged the fear of the public that marketers would eventually go back to their old prize, stating that the probability of reverting to their prize was remote because they knew DPR officials were around, and “that we monitor them on regular basis”.
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