Mkpoikana Udoma
21 September 2018, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt — The Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has sealed off seven filling stations in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, for violation of the agency’s operating guidelines.
The filling stations sealed includes; two Mobil filling stations at Garrison and Waterlines Bus-stops, two MRS filling stations at Rumuomasi and Garrison, Conoil, Eterna and Total filling station, all in Port Harcourt metropolis.
The Zonal Comptroller of DPR in Port Harcourt, Dr. Ibani Frank-Briggs, said the affected filling stations were sealed off for several offences ranging from non-compliance to safety standards, under-dispensing of petroleum products and operating without current licences from the agency.
Frank-Briggs explained that the surveillance was a routine exercise aimed at regulating the petroleum downstream sector and ensuring that the operators operate with best standards.
“We visited about ten filling stations and some of them their licences are not up to date, and we discovered that some of the filling stations were under-dispensing and they have been told to do the right thing by adjusting their pumps appropriately.
“It’s part of our functions to have a routine surveillance to ensure that marketers are doing the right thing, so we go out to stations to find out if they are operating according to best practices.
“One of the reasons why we embarked on this surveillance is to fish out those filling stations who are operating without a license and those who have not renewed their license, we sanction them to do the right thing.”
The Zonal DPR boss also said the sealed filling stations will pay fine for their offenses according to the stipulated laws.
“For under-dispensing, the fine is N100,000 to be paid to a Remita platform to the Federal Government and then write a letter of undertaking that such will not happen again.”
