From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, has cautioned the people of the state against panic buying and stocking of petrol in private homes and business premises.
Otunba Egbeyemi, who gave the warning on Thursday said panic buying of fuel and stocking same at homes and business centres could precipitate fire disaster.
The Deputy Governor in a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, also warned petrol marketers against hoarding the commodity.
Otunba Egbeyemi stressed that keeping of petrol at homes and business centres could spark fire incidents that may lead to loss of lives and property.
He said the state government would not fold its arms and allow a situation that could lead to fire incidents hence the need to appeal to residents to stop panic buying and stocking of the inflammable commodity.
The Deputy Governor said government would rev up effective monitoring mechanism through the state Petroleum Products Consumers Protection Agency (PPCPA) to ensure that marketers sell the products to consumers at government approved prices.
Otunba Egbeyemi said: “We are using this opportunity to appeal to the good people of Ekiti State to avoid fire disaster. Stocking of petrol in private residences, offices and business centres is very risky.
“This could spark fire incidents that may lead to loss of precious lives and valuable property. We don’t want lives to be lost and houses, shops and other property to be burnt.
“Apart from the risk involved, hoarding of petrol is an act of economic sabotage. We want our people to desist from it.
“We also call on petrol marketers to desist from hoarding the product, they should not inflict hardship on our people under any guise.
“Government will ensure the activation of effective monitoring mechanism through the Petroleum Products Consumer Protection Agency (PPCPA) to ensure that our marketers dispense the product to consumers according to the approved prices.”