03 March 2014, Kaduna — The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) began on a nationwide tour of petrol stations yesterday with a threat to close down petrol stations hoarding or selling fuel above the official pump price.
There have been long queues in many filling stations nationwide, with some marketers adjusting their pumps while others raised the price of the product, it was gathered.
But the Director of the DPR, George Osahon, who led a team for inspection tour of petrol stations in Kaduna, warned independent marketers to stop hoarding the product or face the full wrath of the law.
“The general public should not panic because there is no fuel scarcity. There is enough products in stock but the marketers are the ones causing these long queues,” Osahon said.
He attributed the long queues to a chain reaction by the marketers and the public over the rumour of a pending increase in pump price.
“The current fuel scarcity is as a result of lack of cooperation among the regulatory agencies in the petroleum sector and hoarding of the product by marketers,” the DPR director said.
“The situation could be brought under control if there is proper coordination because we will soon introduce an electronic system to effectively monitor fuel distribution in the country,” he added.
Weekly Trust reports that many fuel stations in Kaduna have closed down due to the non-availability of the product, while long queues are ever present in the few that opened for business.
– Daily Trust