Desist from Sabotaging FG’s Efforts, NMDPRA Warns IPMAN

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Nigeria Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has warned the members of the  Independent Petroleum  Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to desist from any act inimical to sabotaging the federal government’s efforts to ensure availability of the petroleum products across the country.

The Kogi State Controller, Mr. Ogbe Godwin, gave this warning while speaking in a chat with the members of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi State Council in Lokoja at the weekend.

Ogbe explained that the warnings become imperatives given the deregulation of the oil sector, noting that NMDPRA will not condone any act of sabotage to further inflict more hardship on the masses.

He stated the NMDPRA is mandated to regulate the activities of all the petrol stations in Kogi State, stressing that the Authority will not tolerate the selling of low-quality products in the state.

The state controller described the adjustment of the metres, under dispensing, black marketeering, illegal selling of Petrol outside the authorized filling stations, selling of fuel at odd hours (night) and unwarranted reserve of fuel as criminal activities.

He reiterated the commitment of the NMDPRA not to compromise the mandate, stating that any marketers found wanting would be sanctioned accordingly, sealed up the filling stations and the owner’s licences would be revoked and be made to pay a fine.

“While we regulate, help in the process of obtaining licences and constant monitoring of inflow of petroleum as well as checking activities of the marketers, the authority under my watch will not compromise any act capable of adding more hardship on the innocent Nigerians,” he stated.

He added that some of the recalcitrant members of IPMAN who were caught cheating motorists by under-dispensing fuel had their filling stations closed down and paid fines for their criminal activities.

“Notwithstanding the challenges the marketers are facing in getting supplies and other related issues, we will not tolerate any act of discipline from them as sanctions await the defaulters,”he posited.