L-R: Director of Operations, Teamsprit Consult Nigeria Ltd, Dr Gabriel Gundu, Senior Regional Advisor, United Nation Economic Commission for Africa ( UNECA), Mr Martin Ndende and head, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), South Africa, Mr Dalma Jama, at the Annual Expert Group Meeting of the UNECA and APRM in Lagos, yesterday.

The Department of Pe
troleum Resources (DPR) Port Harcourt Zonal Operational Office has warned oil marketers within its area of operation against selling adulterated petroleum products to members of the public.
Speaking to The Tide in Port Harcourt on Monday the zonal controller DPR, Mrs Chioma Njoku said the regulatory agency would not hesitate to seal any oil marketer’s depots or filling stations found dispensing adulterated petroleum to consumers in the state.
Njoku said adequate measures had been put in place to ensure that genuine petroleum products are dispensed to the public in the state this festive period.
The controller said the regulatory agency had held meeting with various stakeholders in the petroleum distribution outlets in the state and warned them against unwholesome practices of dispensing adulterated products to consumers.
She said the full weight of the law would be applied against any oil marketer who breached the regulatory agencys directive and sell adulterated petroleum products in the stae.
The DPR boss enjoined  the public to always report any oil marketers engaging in nefarious activity, to the relevant agencies of government for appropriate sanctions.
She warned oil marketers against selling petroleum products above the government regulated prices, stressing that the agency has set up monitoring unit to check any oil marketers hoarding petroleum product during this yuletide season.
The zonal Controller assured Nigerians of the government determination to ensure the availability of petroleum products, federal government having approved the subsidy payment for the oil marketers.
Meanwhile, The Tide was reliably told that the national office of the DPR has suspended the import permit granted some major oil marketers over allegation that the major oil marketers sold petroleum product above government regulated prices.
It was learnt that the major oil marketers whose import permits were suspended include, Capital Oil Petroleum Limited, Sahara Petroleum and Falawiyo Petroleum in Lagos.
Others were Samon Petroleum, Fynfield Petroleum, Calabar and Stallionaire Petroleum Limited. The companies were further accused by DPR of profiteering.
The regulatory agency added that it would continue to ensure that operators in the petroleum sector adhere strictly to international acceptable standards and best practices and warned to apply full wrath of the law.

Philip Okparaji