By Thompson ABISOLA
The Department of Petroleum Resources has appealed to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria in Cross River not to take advantage of the festive period to hike pump prices.
DPR Operations Controller in Cross River, Mr Bassey Nkanga, made the appeal on Tuesday during the fourth quarter meeting with IPMAN members in Calabar.
Nkanga disclosed that the Federal Government have done a lot in ensuring that the depots were stocked with adequate product within the yuletide period and beyond.
According to him, the initiative is to prevent scarcity of the product and panic buying by Nigerians during the period.
He said that the yuletide season was very sensitive to Nigerians and the government, hence the provision of adequate petroleum product to enhance movements.
“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 would be sanctioned.
The Operations Controller warned marketers in Northern Cross River to desist from selling a litre of fuel above N145, saying that any further act may lead to revocation of operating license.
He also warned marketers against under-dispensing, selling adulterated products and violating the DPR seal whenever they were sealed.
Responding, Mr Lawrence Agim, IPMAN Chairman in the state, 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.
