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Tag: DPR

  • Petrol new pump price: DPR begins enforcement in Plateau

    Petrol new pump price: DPR begins enforcement in Plateau

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has begun to visit filling stations in Plateau to ensure that major and independent marketers comply with the new pump price of N86.50 per litre as directed by the Federal Government.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Pankshin that officials of the department are currently visiting the central and southern zones of the state to ensure total compliance.

    The department’s team Leader and Human Resources Assistant, Mr Habib Yahaya, told NAN in Pankshin on Saturday that it was useful for both major and independent marketers to comply with the new pump price.

    “All NNPC Mega Stations are expected to sell the fuel at a pump price of N86.00 per litre while major and independent marketers are suppose to sell at N86.50 per litre.

    “Anything above these two official pump prices would attract serious sanctions from our department, ’’ he said.

    Yahaya expressed concern about the attitude of some of the independent and major marketers who he accused of avoiding them.

    “When they heard we are coming they quickly closed down and run away from the filling station so that we could not check the volume of what they had in stock,’’ he observed.

    Yahaya called on the public to alert DPR of any erring filling station that would not sell at the official pump price of N86.50.

    “This because we are aware that most of the operators of these filling stations revert to old prices of their choices whenever we are out of their domain, ’’ he said.

    The DPR official warned that any filling station caught flaunting the directive of the government would face the wrath of the department.

    He pledged that the DPR would do all it could to ensure that motorists and commuters were not subjected to hardships.

  • DPR supervises sale of fuel at N87

    Filling station owners in Benin, the Edo State capital, were yesterday compelled to dispense petrol to consumers at the approved pump price of N87 per litre.

    The sale, which was supervised by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), ensured that the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol, which was selling for as high as N150 per litre, was sold at the official price.

    Maynard Oriaifo, who led the DPR team to several filling stations, including the mega station on Sapele Road; Otopec on Airport Road as well as Jerovied and Voe on Sapele Road, accused some filling station owners of disregarding the government’s directive on the price of PMS.

    Oriaifo expressed shock at the alleged sharp practices among filling station operators, which he said created an avenue to shortchange the public.

    The DPR director of Operations said petroleum products must be sold at government approved pump prices.

    He added that filling station owners should not hide under the guise of buying fuel at a private depot since the Federal Government had paid for the subsidy on petroleum products.

  • Edo: DPR forces fuel stations to sell at 87 naira

    Edo: DPR forces fuel stations to sell at 87 naira

    Operators of fuel stations in Benin City, the Edo state capital were Tuesday compelled to dispense products to consumers at the approved pump price

    The exercise which was carried out by the Department of Petroleum Resources DPR, ensured that PMS which was selling for as much as N150 per litter been reverted to the official price

    Mr. Maynard Oriaifo who led the team to several filling stations including Mega station on Sapele road, Otopec on Airport road, Jerovied and Voe all on sapele road revealed that there was complete disregard for the government directives on the sale of PMS.

    Mr. Oriaifo who expressed shock about the shape practices these station operators were subjecting the general public said the product must be sold at pump price

    Oriaifo who is the director of Operations said owners of fuel station should not hide under the guise of buying fuel at a private depot insisting that the Federal government has already paid the subsidy on petroleum products.

     

     

  • DPR reads riot act to saboteurs

    DPR reads riot act to saboteurs

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has said it would not hesitate to deal with major and independent marketers found engaging in sharp practices capable of sabotaging President Muhammdau Buhari’s efforts at bringing succour to the citizens during the Yuletide.

    Its Director, Mr. Mordecai Danteni Ladan who spoke after an inspection tour of fuel retail outlets in Lagos, said marketers who indulge in sharp practices such as diversion/ hoarding of fuel, and inflation of prices of fuel, especially during the Yuletide period would be severely punished.

    He said anybody found diverting fuel would pay a fine of N200 on each litre of fuel he or she diverted, adding that all hands are on deck to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products during the festive period.

    He said other penalties include selling fuel at filling stations discovered to have hoarded the product at give away prices, and imposition of fines on marketers engaging in hoarding of petroleum products, depending on the nature of the crime committed.

    He said marketers, who sell above government regulated prices risk closure of their stations including payment of the prescribed fine.

    According to him, DPR in conjunction with the Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the Police has started a joint surveillance of fuel retail outlets in the country with a view to curbing the excesses of marketers who are hoarding fuel in order to make money during and after the Christmas and New Year.

    Ladan said: “We are stepping up efforts to nip in the bud the activities of people who, for obvious reason of making money during the festive season, engage in fuel diversion/hoarding among other criminal activities.

    “Some marketers have products but want to sell in the night in order to escalate the price. We are taking the right action by going out in the night to check their pumps, and arrest if need be people who involve in these undesirable activities. If you are caught escalating the price of fuel, we close down your station for some days and thereafter ask you to pay N10,000 per pump.’’

    Ladan said DPR is taking the directive to ensure even distribution of fuel to consumers during and after the yuletide. He said inefficiency in fuel supply has brought about the issue of diversion of the product and other activities.

  • DPR begins 24-hour surveillance on depots, filling stations

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it has set up a 24-hour special task force to supervise and monitor petrol sales at depots and stations.

    It said that the task force would sanction depots and stations selling above the recommended price.

    Mrs Dorothy Bassey, Assistant Director, Public Affairs in DPR, disclosed this in telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

    Bassey said the special team was set up purposely for the Yuletide with powers to take over the sale of the product from those selling above the approved price.

    She said that the agency had met with stakeholders to convey government’s displeasure on illegal sale of petrol above the stipulated price and the long queues at the filling stations.

    The DPR warned that those involved in the criminal act would henceforth lose their licence under the new steps being taken by agency to enforce discipline.

    “We have instituted 24-hour surveillance by special task force which we are not going to disclose their identity because we don’t want them to be harassed.

    Bassey said that those selling petrol above the pump price were doing so at night.

    She said that any station caught would be forced to sell at the official price “so that we don’t seal them to compound the scarcity”.

    She said that the agency had some dedicated numbers on its Website through which Nigerians could send their complaints.

    Meanwhile, some marketers, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the ongoing petrol scarcity would persist as government had failed to address issue of foreign exchange hindering fuel importation.

    They said that marketers were willing to import fuel, but scarcity of foreign exchange remained a serious challenge.

    NAN correspondent, who monitored sale of petrol in parts of Lagos on Thursday, reported that queues were seen in some filling stations on Ikorodu Road, Maryland and Alaka area.

    Many stations were still not selling petrol.

    Some stations in Epe, Ibeju-Lekki and Ikorodu were selling petrol between N100 and N 110 per litre.

  • DPR sanctions 99 retail outlets

    DPR sanctions 99 retail outlets

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said it has sanctioned about 99 filling stations for committing various offences and taking undue advantage of consumers in view of the prevailing fuel scarcity.

    The DPR in a statement, noted that some of the retail outlets aside being shut, were fined more than N100,000 for selling above government approved price of N87 per litre for petrol. The erring stations were sanctioned according to the level of the offence they committed, the oil industry regulator said. The offences include selling above the approved price of N87 per litre, selling with under-dispensing pumps, operating without licence, diversion of product, and hoarding.

    According to DPR, a chunk of the offending stations were major marketers’ branded outlets.

  • DPR seals 50 petrol stations in Oyo

    DPR seals 50 petrol stations in Oyo

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Oyo and Osun field office, has sealed 50 petrol stations in Ibadan and environs for hoarding and selling petrol above the approved N87.

    A station belonging to a former senator from Oke Ogun was among those closed.

    Many petroleum marketers have been cashing in on the scarcity by selling fuel at exorbitant prices.

    The official price is N87 per litre.

    Some of the sealed stations in Ogbomoso are TDB global Venture Limited; Modern Options; Isale General; Ballah Plus; Sabo; Rubbie oil; Musalat Integrated Resources Nigeria Limited and Saajad Resourses Nigeria Limited.

    The few marketers selling at government approved prices  were supported in ensuring orderliness and promptness by DPR officials.

    Those closed in Ibadan are Prolek Molete for selling at N130 per litre and not willing to reverse sales; Alleluyah Oil, Idi-Arere, owned by a former senator, for selling at N140 per litre and Oando, Oritamefa, for hoarding the product.

    The Operations Controller, Olakunle Ogunlana, represented by Deputy Manager (Operations) Sadiq Ibrahim said the effort was to cushion the pain fraudulent marketers subject the public to.

    Ogunlana said: “It is unfair how some few people unduly take advantage of millions of other people just to make selfish gains.

    ‘’This scarcity is making things difficult for the public, despite government’s intervention.

    “We will not rest until we ensure that they (independent marketers) do what is right in the interest of Nigerians. We will not allow them to undermine government’s efforts.”

    He, however, called on the marketers to show patriotism in discharging and running their businesses as government was trying to make the product available.

     

  • DPR seals off 50 petrol stations in Ibadan

    DPR seals off 50 petrol stations in Ibadan

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Oyo and Osun field office has sealed off more than 50 petrol stations in Ibadan and environs for hoarding and selling the product above government approved price.

    It has also embarked on aggressive disposal of the product at filling stations that are creating artificial scarcity in different parts of the state.

    Notably, a filling station allegedly belonging to a former senator from Oke Ogun part of the state was among those sealed off by the DPR.

    Another belonging to a former governor from Ogbomosho, which was sealed off few weeks back was also one of those compelled to reverse its sales to government approved price during the inspection

    Meanwhile, it was a bad day for many marketers as no fewer than 50 filing stations who were found to be hoarding petroleum and kerosene, and noted to be planning to sell at odd times at exorbitant prices were also sealed off in different parts of the state

    Many petroleum marketers across the state have been cashing in on the masses by selling the product at prices far above the government regulated prices while only few major marketers selling at the official prices experienced massive crowd with many people spending more than ten hours on queue to get the product.

    Investigation revealed that, the product in the last few days in major parts of the state sold between N120 and N150 per litre.

    Same could be said of kerosene which now sells between N95 and N100 per litre.

    Some of the filling stations where the enforcement took place in Ogbomosho are: TDB global venture limited, allegedly belonging to a former governor of the state, Modern Options, Isale General, Ballah Plus, Sabo, Rubbie oil, Stadium road, Musalat Intergrated Resources Nigeria limited and Saajad Resourses Nigeria limited.

    The few marketers selling at government approved prices during the inspection were also supported in ensuring orderliness and promptness in the sales by officials of the department who were stationed by the team lead.

    Conoil and Oando both around Eleyele were some of the places the intervention of the officials of the DPR helped save the day when the massive crowd made selling of the products difficult for the sales attendants.

    Some of those sealed off Thursday in Ibadan also include: Prolek Molete for selling at N130 per litre and not willing to reverse sales, Alleluyah Oil, Idi-Arere, allegedly owned by a former senator in the state, for selling at  N140 per litre and Oando, Oritamefa for hoarding the product.

    Engineer Olakunle Ogunlana, Operations Controller, Oyo and Osun Field office who spoke through Mr. Sadiq Ibrahim, deputy manager (operations) said the effort is to cushion the pain fraudulent marketers’ subjected members of the public to for pecuniary gains.

    Ogunlana said: “it is unfair how some few people unduly take advantage of millions of other people just to make selfish gains. This scarcity is making things difficult for members of the public despite government intervention.

    “We will not rest until we ensure that they (independent marketers) do what is right in the interest of Nigerians. We will not allow them rubbish government efforts.”

    He however called on the marketers to show patriotism in discharging and running their business interest as government is doing enough to make the product available across the country.

  • Kaduna: DPR dispenses free fuel at erring filling station

    Kaduna: DPR dispenses free fuel at erring filling station

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), has sealed a filling station in Kaduna metropolis and dispensed fuel in its underground tank to motorists and motorcyclists free of charge for hoarding the product.

    The station, Samrada Nigeria Limited located at Romi Junction in the state capital, was caught hoarding a total of 19, 500 litres of fuel.

    The agency during its routine inspection of Petrol Stations across the state discovered that the petrol station was also selling above the N87 per litre pump price only at night.

    This is even as the scarcity situation is getting worse day by day. While many filling stations are under lock and key, black marketers have taken over the major streets, determining the price at which to sell the product to motorists.

    Presently, a litre of petrol in Kaduna metropolis and environs is sold as high as 200. And where fuel is available at petrol stations, the pumps are adjusted and the queues very long.

    DPR officials led by the zonal controller, Usman Ndanusa, swooped on this particular station following a tip-off from concerned citizens that the management of the station was hoarding the scarce product.

    They opened up the station’s stock and uncovered 19,300 litres of fuel while the station had allegedly told distraught buyers that it had exhausted the stock.

    However, it was a cheering news for motorists and other members of the public who scrambled to have their tanks filled as soon as the DPR boss instructed that the fuel be sold free of charge in line with minister of Petroluem’s directive.

    The manager of the filling station complained of not getting the product from the depot at government approved price, hence they have to adjust their retail prices. The DPR officials also ordered another filling station along Romi road to reverse to the N87 pump price as against the N135 it was selling to customers when the officials arrived.

    The owner of the filling station was fined the sum of N100, 000 for selling above pump price.

    The controller explained that the punitive measure would serve as deterrent to other hoarders that it was no longer business as usual. He said the agency was poised to ensure that the commodity was properly distributed among commuters.

    While expressing hope that the scarcity of petrol across the state would soon disappear due to the increase in daily supply from Lagos, the Controller  however warned marketers to stop hoarding the product or face severe sanction if they are caught.