Joe Effiong, Uyo,
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket field office, has threatened to withdraw the licence it issued to petroleum marketers in Akwa Ibom State if they fail to renew it by next month.
The Operations Controller of DPR in the state, Mr Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sunday, issued the threat yesterday in Uyo during the sensitisation of stakeholders in the petroleum sector.
He also warned that the Department would collaborate with sister agencies to equally arrest defaulters in the state.
While appealing to the petroleum marketers to renew their licences or face the wrath of the law, he said that DPR would embark on the exercise by April, noting that government wants to enforce compliance because petroleum business involves a lot of engineering, safety, health and environmental issues.
“I am appealing to marketers to get their current licence or the law must be applied,” Kingsley-Sunday said.
He said the purpose of renewing the licence was to ensure that filling stations were of standard.
He lamented that some filling stations that were built between 10 to 15 years ago do not have DPR licence to operate in the state.
