DPR Blames Public Over Petroleum Profiteers

The Operations Con
troller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Ibadan, Mr Olakunle Ogunlana, has blamed the public for not cooperating with the move to seal stations selling petroleum products above the stipulated price.
Ogunlana identified the public as a major hindrance in their operations in an interview with  journalists in Ibadan.
He alleged that some members of the public who preferred buying petroleum products above the control price usually prevent the department from sealing up defaulting stations.
“It is obvious that some of them would prefer to buy above the N97 per litre price than having to queue in stations selling at the control price.
“This is one of the challenges we are encountering in our efforts to curb stations from selling at high prices,” he said.
Ogunlana said that the shortfall in the supply of petroleum had made some marketers to develop intrigues and tricks to cheat the public.
“However, with a large number of these marketers, we would, therefore, have to depend on the public to inform us of any erring station,” he said.
The DPR boss restated that the Federal Government had no intention of increasing petroleum pump prices and warned marketers to desist from profiteering.
According him, a first offender station gets sealed up for one month; a second offender gets three months, while a third offender gets its licence withdrawn.