Oshiomhole Warns Marketers On Products Hoarding

Edo State Governor  Adams Oshiomhole has  threatened to sanction any petroleum products marketer who flouts the Federal Government’s  approved new pump price of N97 per litre.

Oshiomhole, who read the riot act at a meeting with major independent marketers in the state at the Government House in Benin, also threatened to revoke the certificate of occupancy  C  of O of any marketer found hoarding petrol.

“If we find that you have product and you don’t sell, we would revoke your certificate of occupancy,” the governor said.

Oshiomhole stated that  the state government would not only level down such erring filing stations, but would acquire them for public use.

He observed that many of the marketers benefitted from the two weeks of increase in fuel price by selling their old stock at N141 per litre and urged them to immediately comply with the directive of the Federal Government and sell fuel at the new price of N97 per litre.

“So, I plead with you, but if this plea doesn’t work, then I will use the stick,’’ Oshiomhole said and threatened to impose additional sanctions against marketers hoarding petrol for allegedly instigating the people against the Federal Government.

He pleaded with the marketers to make petrol available in their stations so that tension could come down in the state.

The governor  said the state government was mobilising the police to ensure that petrol dealers did not sell the product in jerry-cans at night, warning that anyone found doing that would have his product confiscated .

Oshiomhole promised to work with the marketers to make the Benin depot of the NNPC operational  even as he appealed to the marketers to show compassion to the people in their dealings as business people.

Earlier, the chairman of the major petrol marketers, Sir John Oshiomah had told the Governor that some of the filling stations were shut because they had no product to sell.