Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Many petrol stations were deserted on Wednesday as operatives of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) stormed the city Wukari in Taraba State for a routine surveillance operation.
Daily Sun, which accompanied the inspection team, reports that several pump attendants at petrol stations who were selling the product to costumers before the arrival of DPR officials hurriedly shut down their facilities and took to their heels.
After visiting a few filling stations in the town, the news quickly spread about the presence of the DPR officials and most marketers deserted their stations to avoid inspection.
Mr Jeremiah Mashat, Operational Controller, Jalingo Field Office of the DPR, who led the operation, said that violation of DPR regulations would soon be a thing of the past in the area.
He said that the desperate actions of the petrol station operators belied their having violated DPR regulations, advising that they comply before the law catches up with them.
He expressed the determination of the Department to enforce regulations.
“We will not relent in carrying out our lawful duties until the marketers fully comply with the rules governing the petrol business in the state,” Mashat said.
“We will ensure constant inspection of the marketers to ensure that quality, quantity, safety and licensing rules are complied with,” he said.
At Eloheem Oil Nigeria Ltd filling station, which was earlier sealed by the DPR, one of the marketers was caught selling the product after DPR sealed up the station with its ‘seal order’ boldly pasted on one of the dispensing machines.
As a penalty for refusing to comply to the order of the regulators, Mashat said Eloheem Nigeria Ltd will pay a fine of N1 million before the facility would be unsealed.
The controller said that some of the stations were dispensing at N152 per litre in Wukari, saying that such conduct is unacceptable.
He commended personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for providing adequate security during the operation.
He said that the Department was reaching out to other security agencies and relevant organisations to collaborate with them for efficient service delivery.
Ms Blessing Francis, a petrol attendant at Eloheem petrol station, claimed that she took over from her colleague who did not inform her of the seal order which was pasted boldly at the front of the petrol dispensing machine.
Francis said that she was ready to comply with the order and stop selling as she would contact the manager of the facility who would meet with the officials of the Repartment to sort out the matter.
Twelve fillings stations were sealed in Jalingo and Wukari for noncompliance with safety guidelines, over pricing and other related offences.