There was tension in parts of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday as three filling stations under construction were demolished allegedly on the orders of Governor Ayo Fayose.
The incident happened few hours after members of the state chapter of Petrol Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) suspended their two-day strike, following the intervention of traditional rulers.
The uncompleted filling stations were demolished for allegedly being located in residential areas.
Our reporter, who moved round at 6.30 pm, noticed that one of the filling stations in Irona was very close to AUD Primary School; the other one was situated at Ijigbo near Fayose Market. The last one was located in Okeyinmi.
The situation at the sites was rowdy as large crowds, including suspected thugs and commercial motorcyclists, gathered causing traffic snarl.
The owner of one of the demolished filling stations, Chief Remi Oguntuase a.k.a. REMOG, confirmed that agents of government carried out the demolition.
Oguntuase, who spoke with our reporter on phone, said he was in the office of the police commissioner in connection with the incident.
Government bulldozers also leveled a land acquired to build a filling station at Okeyinmi area.
The pit dug for the tank of the station had been covered with sand by workmen deployed to carry out the exercise.
The exercise started on Monday and was completed yesterday.
The governor, who later visited the scene, to assess the level of work said the land has been confiscated from the owner “in overall public interest”.
Tag: filling stations
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Fayose demolishes three filling stations
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DPR sanctions 16 fuel dealers over sharp practices in Bayelsa
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Bayelsa has sanctioned 16 filling stations in the state for engaging in various sharp practices.
Mr Asuquo Antai, Operations Controller of DPR in Bayelsa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday that the marketers were sanctioned for overpricing, underdispensing and product diversion.
Antai said the affected marketers were made to pay huge fines into government coffers as well as sign an undertaking not to indulge in the practices again.
“The sharp practices we have observed are overpricing – selling above the approved pump price; under- dispensing and thirdly, diversion of products sent to them to other places.
“We have sanctioned quite a lot of retail outlets over sharp practices in the last few days.
“We have actually sanctioned 16 marketers; they were made to pay fines of various sums and sign undertaking,’’ Antai said
He, however, said that because of intensified monitoring and sanctions, the DPR had reduced the diversion by marketers to the barest minimum.
Antai also said that as part of activities put in place to check sharp practices in the state, the DPR had decided to publicise all allocated petrol products from government source.
He said that DPR had decided to publicise all allocated petrol products from government source such as the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company.
The official said the development would enable the DPR to track the product movement.
“If they say between 30,000 and 33,000 litres have been sent to a particular station, we will ascertain if those product quantities actually arrive that station.
“If we ascertain arrival we find out if the marketers selling without hoarding, without under dispensing and selling at the approved price.
“That is what we have been monitoring and are still monitoring; our staff have been divided into two teams and they are all over the place on surveillance.
“We want to appeal to Bayelsa people to keep an eye on all the stations.
“We will announce product arrival on the television and radio to know the quantity of product that arrives at different filling stations.“So, if the people observe any sharp practices, they should call us to intervene; our numbers are published on DPR website,” Antai said.
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DPR to marketers: Desist from fuel adulteration
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Thursday urged all operators of petroleum product depots, filling stations as well as tanker drivers and other stakeholders to desist from unwholesome activities of hoarding, diversion, adulteration and pump manipulation in order to avoid untoward hardship to motorists and the general public.
The DPR Director, Mordecai Ladan made this disclosure in a statement Thursday.
He said that every effort is being made to ensure that petroleum products supply and distribution situation in the country is normalised.
According to him, marketers must ensure that petroleum products get across to Nigerians timely and at the regulated prices.
“Government is making petroleum products sufficiently available. Therefore, DPR urges all operators of petroleum product depots, filling stations as well as tanker drivers and other stakeholders to desist from unwholesome activities of hoarding, diversion, adulteration and pump manipulation in order to avoid untoward hardship to motorists and the general public.
“The security agencies in collaboration with the DPR will arrest and prosecute any errant marketer involved in sabotaging government commitment at making petroleum products readily available to Nigerians,” he said.
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Normalcy will soon return to filling stations – NUPENG
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Wednesday assured that normalcy would soon return to filling states nationwide if the current tempo of loading at the depots continued till the weekend.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of the union, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Korodo said that the NNPC commenced massive pumping of petrol to its depot at Mosinmi early this week and loading of petroleum trucks had started.
“Going round some depots in Lagos, I observed that loading was going on and more filling stations are selling the product at the control price.
“Some filling stations that are selling between N130 and N150 will be forced to sell at control price when the market is flooded with petrol.
“If NNPC can keep the tempo of the loading till weekend, more filling stations will have petrol and the queue of motorists at filling stations will reduce.
“The corporation should ensure that it keeps on pumping petrol to both major and independent marketers’ depots to reduce the scarcity,” he said.
The chairman appealed to NNPC management to ensure that it carried along all stakeholders in the oil and gas sector so that the fuel scarcity could end as promised.
Korodo urged the corporation to maintain the current loading system at depots.
NAN reports that the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on March 29, said that the long queues in the petrol stations would disappear by April 7.
Kachikwu made the statement when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) over the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
He apologised to Nigerians over his statement that the fuel scarcity would linger till May.
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Fuel scarcity hits Enugu as marketers shut down stations
Fuel scarcity resurfaced in Enugu metropolis on Wednesday as petroleum marketers closed down their filling stations, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.
NAN correspondent who monitored the situation in the state capital reports that virtually all the major and independent marketers were closed their stations.
NAN reports that only the NNPC Mega Station on Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway was dispensing products to the a long queue of cars on its premises.
Commuters, including school children, were stranded due to paucity of commercial vehicles just as the roads were free of the usual traffic.
Meanwhile, transport fares have increased by 100 per cent as commercial buses charged between N80 and N100 as against N50 per drop.
Some motorists who spoke to NAN said the situation may be connected with ongoing monitoring of compliance with new pump price of N86.50k per litre by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
A civil servant, Mr Samuel Nwodo, said the marketers closed their filling stations for fear of being sanctioned by the DPR.
“Some of the marketers have refused to adjust their pump price until they exhausted their old stock. I wonder when they will do that.
“I have gone round the metropolis in search of petrol but only the NNPC mega station is operating and I cannot stand the long queue’’, he said.
A commercial bus driver, Chijioke Agu, said he increased bus fare due to the scarcity and urged the government to do something urgently to save the situation.
Another motorist, Mrs Anthonia Ugwu, said she parked her vehicle at home and took her children to school in a taxi.
NAN reports that the federal government on Tuesday announced that it would shut down and revoke licences of marketers who defaulted in implementing the new pump price.
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DPR closes two filling stations in Akure
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- Motorists seek agency’s intervention
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in charge of Ondo and Ekiti states yesterday sealed two filing stations in Akure, the Ondo State capital, for hoarding petrol.
The affected stations were Koleman Petroleum at Oke-Ijebu, Akure and Olusile filing station at Oba-Ile in Akure North Local Government.
Besides, the DPR has begun the enforcement of the new N86.50k pump price per litre in the two states.
The enforcement followed the decision of independent marketers and even some NNPC stations to sell at the old price of between N120 and N140
The DPR team led by the Acting Controller for Ondo and Ekiti, Godwin Obasuyi, in all the stations visited ensured that the marketers sold the products at ?new price of 86.50k.
Motorists and motorcyclists in Ekiti State have called on the agency to begin a crackdown on filling stations yet to comply with the new pump price of N86.50k.
They are angry that the marketers are yet to comply with the new price regime set by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) five days into the New Year.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Station on Iworoko Road on the outskirts of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, has been selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, at N86 per litre from January 1, when the new price regime took effect.
Other NNPC retail stations in other parts of the town have also complied with the new price but major and independent marketers have defied the order to adjust their pumps to reflect the new price.
Major and independent marketers sell between N115 and N130 per litre to consumers.
Consumers who spoke with The Nation in Ado-Ekiti yesterday said the DPR’s intervention became necessary to call the marketers to order and save them from further exploitation.
A motorist, James Adu, wondered why marketers always drag their feet each time there was downward review of pump price of PMS but always adjust their metres immediately fuel prices go up.
He said: “That has always been their style whenever fuel price is reduced; they always claim that they are yet to exhaust the stock but that will not be the same when the price is increased.
“We want DPR to intervene here in Ekiti because we heard that erring petrol stations have been shut down in neighbouring states and their fuel dispensed to consumers free of charge. We want DPR to do same here in Ekiti.”
A motorcyclist, Femi Amusan, who described many of the marketers as “economic saboteurs”, said consumers in Ekiti are now at the mercy of owners of petrol stations.
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Kwara Assembly frowns at illegal erection of fuel stations
The Kwara state House of Assembly (KWHA) has frowned against indiscriminate construction of filling stations in residential areas in Ilorin, the state capital.
The Assembly added that such action poses grave danger to lives and property.
It then summoned two owners of filling stations in Ilorin metropolis to appear before it over alleged illegal operations.
The filling Stations were M.M. Ibrolak interbiz at Agbo-oba and Juniwad Petrol Station at Ita-Merin area of the metropolis.
Also, the lawmakers summoned owners of the Petrol stations under construction along Oko-Erin, Kuntu, Abayawo and Ode Alawonla in Okelele all in the town, to appear before the House’s Ad-Hoc Committee for failure to secure necessary documents before erecting their filing stations.
The Chairman of the committee, Kamaldeen Fagbemi said this in Ilorin during the Committee’s visit to some filling stations at Okelele, Abayawo, Alagbado, Kongbari and Muritala Mohammed way all in Ilorin Metropolis.
The lawmaker was accompanied by members of the committee, officers of the state Town Planning and Development Authority, Fire Service, Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria.
He said the House of Assembly would not fold its arms and watch the lives and properties of those who elected them into office being threatened by few individuals who were desperately looking for money.
The lawmaker explained that the State House of Assembly would give fair hearing to all parties concerned before taking a definite position on the matter.Mr. Fagbemi directed the affected persons to come along with the approvals of the State Town Planning and Development Authority, Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR), State Fire Service and Environmental Assessment.
He said defaulters risked closure of the affected filling stations.
He added that the House would soon conduct public hearing on proliferation of filling stations in residential areas to have stakeholders’ inputs with a view to finding an enduring solution to the problem and called on members of the public to cooperate with the legislature.
Fagbemi, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics, Public Petitions, Privileges and Judiciary, assured that the House would address the issue holistically, saying that the House would ensure implementation of Laws setting up a Town Planning Tribunal to ensure proper trial of culprits.
The Executive Secretary of the State Town Planning and Development Authority Mr. Oladele Adeoti had told the Ad-Hoc Committee that they had demolished some illegal filling stations under Construction in the past.
He added that his men were usually beaten up by hoodlums hired by the owners of such illegal filling stations.
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DPR seals 45 Filling Stations in Kano
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 45 filling stations in Kano for profiteering, diversion, hoarding and selling Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) above government approved price of N87 per Littre.
Speaking to reporters in his office Thursday, the Zonal Operation Comptroller in charge of Kano and Jigawa, Alhaji Isah Tafida, said that 23 of the sealed stations sold PMS above approved pump price, while four were closed down for hoarding and five were shut down for diversion.
He said that a surveillance team carried out its operation covering Kano municipal and its environs where 12 filling stations were sealed for using faulty pumps.
According to him, the 36 filling stations sealed up will pay the sum of N100, 000 each with a written agreement that such offence will not be committed again.
He further added that any filling station found guilty the second time will be closed down for three months, adding that penalty for diversion of PMS attract a fine of N200 per litre.
Alhaji Tafida noted that the exercise is ongoing in line with the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to sanitize the petroleum industry.
He named the filling stations sealed up by DPR in Kano to include Gwagwarwa Investment Co. Ltd, Pure Oil and Gas LTD, Himma Merchants LTD, Musbahu Garba Nig. LTD, AY Suleiman LTD, Con Oil, Insibal, AS Marmaro, BBSY General Merchants, Nazzalco Enterprises LTD, A.U.I Multi Purpose, AB Radda Petroleum LTD.
Others are ABY Petroleum Nigeria LTD, Alhaji Shehu Yaro Haske Nigeria LTD, Naadade Petroleum LTD, A.A. Babura and Sons Nigeria LTD, Afdin Petroleum Nigeria LTD, Idris Macauley, Nipco Oil LTD, Kano Industries Stone LTD, Ali Musa Nigeria LTD, Mansur Yusuf Nigeria LTD, Sanduff Oil and Gas, Kachako Petroleum LTD among others.
Tafida, however, urged the public to furnish DPR with relevant information on the activities of filling stations across the states that are not complying with government directive.
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DPR seals 12 filling stations in Abuja
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 12 filling stations in Abuja for profiteering and selling above government approved prices.
A statement by Mohammed Usman, the DPR Zonal Operations Controller, said in Abuja on Sunday that the 12 stations brought to 34 the filling stations sealed by the DPR in Abuja and environs.
It said surveillance was carried out by four teams covering Abuja and its environs.
“About 46 filling stations were visited and the exercise indicated availability of PMS in the stations with some queues observed,” it said.
According to the statement, 12 filling stations were sealed at the end of the exercise.
It named the stations as Harry Pet filling station in Gwagwalada for selling PMS at N110, Drison Oil filling station at Giri for selling PMS at N100 and Ohinoyi Oil in Kwali for under dispensing with -3770 mls.
Also sealed were Gausiya filling station at Giri where one pump was sealed for under-dispensing with -740 mls, Adelhi Ltd filling station at Masaka for selling. PMS at N105 and Hariz Pet at Masaka sealed for selling PMS at N110.
Oando Plc at Maraba Aso was sealed for suspected diversion of PMS (45,000 litres), Mobil New Nyanya had one pump sealed for under-dispensing with -730 mls and Badeggi Petrol station at Dikko Junction sealed for selling PMS at N110.
Others were Edewa Ltd at Kwamba Suleja sealed for selling PMS at N105, Shemaco filling station, Kwamba Suleja was sealed for selling PMS at N97 and Dee Jones,Kwamba, Suleja was sealed for selling PMS at N105 and under dispensing with -420 mls.
The statement noted that the affected stations were to remain sealed for at least one month while also forfeiting their bridging claims for the products in question.
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Petroleum agency sanctions 30 filling stations
Ekiti State Petroleum Products Consumer Protection Agency (ESPP CPA) has within the last six months sanctioned 30 filling stations in the state for engaging in sharp practices.
Its chairman, Elder Adeyemi Adebayo, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said the erring filling stations were sanctioned for hoarding of petroleum products, under-dispensing of petroleum products to unsuspecting customers, unauthorised adjustment of their tramline pumps and outright diversion of petroleum products allocated to them.
He added that apart from sealing off the affected fillings stations for a period of time, the agency also slammed fines ranging from N200,000 to N250,000 each on the indicted petroleum marketers.
He urged vehicle owners and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in panic buying, as there was enough petroleum products in circulation in the state.