Sequel to further reduction of fuel pump price from N125 per litre to N123.50 by the Federal Government, some Port Harcourt residents have decried the non compliance of petroleum dealers in Rivers State to the new pump price.
Some of the residents who interacted with The Tide complained that the filling stations in the State were still selling at N125.00 and urged the dealers to adjust to the new pump price without further delay.
A public analyst, Mr James Okogba, said the petroleum dealers in Rivers State had no excuse for not adjusting to the new pump price, pointing out that business is about profit and loss.
He noted that petrol dealers were in the habit of adjusting their price faster whenever there is an increase in pump price, but give flimsy excuses when there is reduction
Meanwhile, Dr Goodluck Nwibari of the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, in a phone chat with our correspondent, enumerated several instances when pump price was adjusted, especially during the Obasanjo administration and dealers adjusted immediately.
He said that the last increase from N97 to N145 by this administration greatly favoured dealers which they adjusted immediately, but wondered why they find it difficult to adjust to the new N123.50 per litre.
The Tide reports that the Federal Government had recently reduced the pump  price from N145 to N125, and further reduced it to N123.50 last week.
Our correspondent who went round Port Harcourt to observe the situation, reports that virtually all the filling stations in Port Harcourt, including the mega station at Lagos bus stop, were still selling at N125.00 per litre as at yesterday.
Most of the petroleum dealers who pleaded anonymity hinged their non compliance on high rate of loading at the depot to transportation, administrative depot renewal, among others.

Corlins Walter