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Tag: Bassey Nkanga

  • DPR bans sale of LPG in shops, homes

    The said it would clamp down on illicit retailers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) popularly known as cooking gas in Rivers.

    DPR’s Port Harcourt Zone Operations’ Controller, Mr Bassey Nkanga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) of the planned clampdown on the sideline of LPG stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

    He said it was now illegal for retailers to transfer cooking gas from one cylinder bottle to another for sale to customers, an act commonly done by roadside LPG retailers.

    “Plans are ongoing to clamp down on any LPG retailer involved in decanting of cooking gas in shops and at homes.

    “We have set up a monitoring unit to arrest defaulters; seize their equipment and sanction them,” he said.

    Nkanga said that the  DPR was also engaging owners of filling stations and other stakeholders to stop the sale of LPG in cylinders to customers.

    He said that the Federal Government was planning to end the unwholesome practice in year 2020 due to attendant risks it posed to lives, property and the environment.

    “We are telling the filling stations that it is risky for people to carry cylinders to buy LPG from their facilities. So, government is planning to phase it out in year 2020.

    “We want filling stations to also have auto-gas add-on plant inside their facility, so that, those whose vehicle uses gas as fuel can drive in and buy rather than in cylinders,” he said.

    Nkanga explained that auto-gas filling stations are filling stations that do not sell petrol, kerosene and diesel – but only sell gas to vehicles.

    He said the Federal Government was passioante to ensure LPG utilisation as well as make available, quality and standard cylinders to Nigerians at affordable prices.

    According to him, DPR was providing the necessary support to stakeholders to ensure that LPG becomes accessible to Nigerians in line with government policies on LPG utilisation.

    The Zonal DPR boss warned plant operators and depot owners against the sale of LPG to unlicensed retailers and marketers.

    “We are giving two weeks (grace) for defaulters to come forward for regularisation to renew their licenses.

    “Also, we are calling on those whose license has expired or obtain licenses for those who do not previously have license and operating illegally, to come forward.

    “DPR has mandate from the Federal Government to ensure that stakeholders comply with safety guidelines as well as ensure that only licensed LPG operators are allowed to operate.

    “We have mandate to remove any form of delay in obtaining licences, in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business directive,” Nkanga said.

    Speaking, Mr Sam Okafor, Zonal Chairman, National Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers, commended the DPR for organising the meeting and pledged the union’s commitment to governments’ policies on LPG utilisation.

  • DPR warns against price hike during festive period in Cross River

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Cross River State has warned marketers against  hiking the pump price of petroleum products during the festive season.

    DPR Operations Controller in the state, Mr Bassey Nkanga, who spoke during the fourth quarter meeting with Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Calabar, disclosed that the Federal Government has ensured that the depots have adequate product for consumers during and beyond the approaching yuletide period.

    He said this was to prevent scarcity of the product and panic buying by Nigerians during the period.

    “As we all know, we are approaching the festive period and DPR in the state have noticed some sharp practices by some marketers.

    “We have intensified surveillance activities across the state with a view to make sure that marketers operate according to the stipulated guidelines.

    “Government has done so much within this period to ensure the free flow of petroleum product and the depots have been adequately stocked to avoid scarcity and panic buying.

    “I wish to appeal to marketers across the state not to take advantage of the festive period to cheat Nigerians in anyway.

    “Anyone caught going against the rules of operation and the government stipulated guidelines will face the consequences,” he said.

    He urged marketers who have not renewed their operating licenses to do so, adding that anyone caught operating without a valid license will be sanctioned.

    The Operations Controller warned marketers in Northern District of the state to desist from selling a litre of petrol above N145, saying that any further act may lead to a revoke of operating license.

    He also warned marketers against under-dispensing, selling adulterated products and violating the DPR seal whenever they were sealed for violating the operational guidelines.

    Read Also: DPR shuts two illegal gas stations in Akwa Ibom

    IPMAN Chairman in the state, Mr Lawrence Agim, commended the Federal Government for the adequate supply of petroleum product to depots.

    Agim said that IPMAN in the state was fully ready to work with DPR in fighting all forms of illegality in the petroleum sector.

    “We are ready to partner with DPR in ensuring that we dispense the product available to us at the approved government price,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the DPR has warned illegal gas centres operators’ in the stage to desist from the act or face stiffer sanctions.

    Nkanga, who gave the warning during the fourth quarter meeting with Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plant Operators/Retailers in the state, said they would clamp down on any gas operator or retailer operating illegally without a valid license issued by the DPR.

    According to him, several cases of gas explosion had been recorded in the state, adding the DPR was intensifying surveillance activities with a view to curb further explosions.

    He said that the government has demonstrated efforts in making sure that gas is extended and sold to residents in the rural areas due to its affordability.

    The Operations Controller charged the retailers to report anyone operating a gas centre illegally to the DPR.

  • DPR warns against price hike during festive period

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Cross River State has warned marketers against  hiking the pump price of petroleum products during the festive season.

    DPR Operations Controller in the state, Mr Bassey Nkanga, who spoke during the fourth quarter meeting with Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Calabar, disclosed that the Federal Government has ensured that the depots have adequate product for consumers during and beyond the approaching yuletide period.

    He said this was to prevent scarcity of the product and panic buying by Nigerians during the period.

    “As we all know, we are approaching the festive period and DPR in the state have noticed some sharp practices by some marketers.

    “We have intensified surveillance activities across the state with a view to make sure that marketers operate according to the stipulated guidelines.

    Read Also: DPR shuts two illegal gas stations in Akwa Ibom

    “Government has done so much within this period to ensure the free flow of petroleum product and the depots have been adequately stocked to avoid scarcity and panic buying.

    “I wish to appeal to marketers across the state not to take advantage of the festive period to cheat Nigerians in anyway.

    “Anyone caught going against the rules of operation and the government stipulated guidelines will face the consequences,” he said.

    He urged marketers who have not renewed their operating licenses to do so, adding that anyone caught operating without a valid license will be sanctioned.

    The Operations Controller warned marketers in Northern District of the state to desist from selling a litre of petrol above N145, saying that any further act may lead to a revoke of operating license.

    He also warned marketers against under-dispensing, selling adulterated products and violating the DPR seal whenever they were sealed for violating the operational guidelines.

    IPMAN Chairman in the state, Mr Lawrence Agim, commended the Federal Government for the adequate supply of petroleum product to depots.

    Agim said that IPMAN in the state was fully ready to work with DPR in fighting all forms of illegality in the petroleum sector.

    “We are ready to partner with DPR in ensuring that we dispense the product available to us at the approved government price,” he said.

  • DPR shuts down three fuel stations in Cross River over price hike

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Cross River State has shut down three fuel stations in Odukpani local government area for selling petrol at N150 per litre against the government approved price of N145 per litre.
    DPR Operations Controller in Cross River, Mr Bassey Nkanga, who led his team on a surveillance of fuel stations across the state, said the stations were shut down for violating the seal order of the DPR.
    Nkanga, who expressed dissatisfaction with the hike in price of the affected stations, said they had no reason to hike the price when some stations were selling the product at N143 per litre.
    He said that the stations will have to pay a fine of N1 million each for violating the `seal order’.
    The Operations Controller explained that the intensified surveillance became necessary with a view to ensure that marketers do not increase pump price ahead of the yuletide period.
    “Any marketer that is caught cheating in any form, either selling above government price or adjusting the metre will be sanctioned severely. We have been doing this in the past two weeks and already some marketers have been sanctioned.

    Read Also: DPR raises alarm over adulterated engine oil

    “If you have been a serial violator of the regulations, if you pay the fine; it is not a guarantee that we will unseal your station for business to commence immediately.
    “The level of stability in the sector is nearly 100 per cent especially in Cross River Central and South. We will try our best to sustain this tempo of surveillance activities in all outlets.
    “The initiative is a routine exercise. We are only intensifying the monitoring and surveillance activities to ensure that marketers do not take undue advantage of the yuletide period to hike the price,’’ he said.
    Nkanga said as the yuletide season approaches, there is the tendency that people will want to take advantage of the period to dupe the public.
    He said that DPR in Cross River was doing its best to create awareness and giving assurance to Nigerians that there will be stability in the sector, especially the downstream sub-sector during the yuletide.
    “We are on ground working and the exercise will continue on daily basis because we want to make sure that the yuletide season is hitch free.
    “I want to advise depot owners and marketers to abide by all rules and regulations of the DPR, because anyone that is caught cheating the public will be sanctioned,’’ he said.

  • DPR to shut down unlicensed petrol stations in Cross River 

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Cross River State has threatened to shut down filling stations operating in the state without registered operating licenses.

    The State Operations Controller, Bassey Nkanga, gave the warning at a meeting with officials of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) in Calabar.

    Nkanga said that the department reminded oil marketers in the state on October 31, 2017 on the need to renew their operating licences, adding that the deadline for registration had since elapsed on March 31, this year.

    He told the oil marketers that for any filling station that is shut down during the operation, the owner will have to pay a fine of N250, 000 before it will be unsealed for business.

    “Any moment from now, we will embark on an intensified operation to ensure that marketers who have not renewed their licences are not allowed to operate.

    “We have over 600 filling stations in Cross River and it is sad to know that only a little above 100 have their valid registered licences.

    “To prevent any embarrassment, IPMAN members should display their renewed licences in their filling stations’’, he said.

    The Operations Controller frowned at marketers who were in the habit of adjusting their fuel pump to short-change customers.

    He further warned that any filling station indulging in such act will face the wrath of the law.

    On the issue of kerosene explosion in the state, Nkanga said that the Department would partner with IPMAN in the state to reduce adulterated product to the barest minimum.

    “Don’t buy doubtful product from anybody apart from the licensed depot. Anyone who buys adulterated product and there is an explosion in any corner, that person will be held to face the necessary sanctions. DPR is well equipped in checking petrol stations across the state to ensure that the right thing is done, ’’ he said.

    IPMAN Chairman in the state, Mr Lawrence Agim, expressed sadness over incessant kerosene explosions in the state.

    Agim said that many families had been affected by such explosions.

    He lauded the state DPR for always holding regular meetings with them to appraise the situation of petroleum products in the state.

    Read Also: DPR to shut down unlicensed petrol stations in Cross River

  • DPR seal off six fuel stations in Cross River for diversion, price hike

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed six fuel station in Cross River State over diversion of the product and price hike.

    Operations Controller in charge of Cross River, Mr Bassey Nkanga, told reporters in Calabar that the stations were sealed in the last one week.

    According to him, intensified surveillance was carried out to ensure that the product released from the depot is sold to the public at the government approved price of N145 per litre.

    “In the past few days, we have embarked on an intensified surveillance to ensure that the product released to Cross River is sold in filing stations in the state and at the stipulated price.

    “Some marketers were found to have erred. Some diverted the product and were not able to account for it. We gave them a time grace and after that, we will conclude that they have diverted the product and sanctions will be meted on them.

    “Any marketer who diverts the product will pay N200 fine on each litre diverted, if it is a whole truck, the marketer will pay N6million and those selling above government price will pay N100,000 as fine respectively.

    “Some of the marketers have come to report that the alleged diverted products have reached their stations. We are going to monitor them and ensure that the product is sold at N145 per litre’’, he said.

    He further said that DPR in the state would soon start announcing the number of trucks released to Cross River and the allocations so that the public can report back to them in case such products were diverted by marketers.

    He added that the effort was to ensure that the product meant for each fuel station in the state was delivered and sold to the public at the stipulated price.

    “Marketers should respect the guidelines covering their operations. They should operate within the confines of the guidelines and ensure that those products given to them are sold to the public accordingly.

    “The government is doing everything possible to bring back normalcy in petroleum product supply.

    “I wish to appeal to the general public to have faith in the government because efforts are on to ensure availability of the across the country,” he said.