Date: 2018-02-08

The Operations Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources, Ilorin Office, Mr. Salvation Philip, on Wednesday said the agency had penalised 26 petrol stations in Kwara State between December 2017 and first week of February 2018 for various infractions.

He stated that six of the culprits accused of diversion of petroleum products were suspended from operations for a period ranging between four and six months.

He spoke to journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on the sidelines of the DPR's monitoring of petrol stations in the Ilorin metropolis.

Philip noted that there had been an appreciable reduction in queues of petroleum buyers, adding that with improved supply of product to the state, the fuel scarcity would significantly eased.

He warned marketers against dispensing the Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, at night to avoid the sale on he black market, adding that the DPR was committed to ensuring that Kwara State consumers got the product in right quantity and quality and at government regulated price.

He claimed that the DPR had issued letters to some petrol stations that were found to have committed some infractions , especially under-dispensing, during the monitoring.

Philip said, "The queues have reduced drastically. We want to request all Kwarans to please avoid panic buying. We are guaranteeing them that whatsoever that is available, we will monitor and ensure that it is dispensed at the right price, right quality and right quantity.

"As a regulator, we use stick and carrot where necessary. I can assure you from December to this point, we have sanctioned 26 filling stations that have violated the regulations. Six are on outright suspension ranging from four months to six months, depending on the nature of their offenses. A very serious offense is product diversion. Any station found diverting the product, we give them outright suspension.

"Six so far are under suspension. They will be prevented from operation and lifting petroleum products in all the Federal Government-owned depots and even private depots across the country. When we do the suspension, we ensure that the appropriate sources of the products are communicated so that they will not be allowed to lift product."