The Department of Petroleum Resources in Katsina State has started surveillance of filling stations located outside the state capital, Katsina, to ensure compliance with the new pump price of N125 per litre.The DPR’s acting Operation Controller for Katsina, Mallam Kabiru Sanusi, made the disclosure on Monday, after inspecting some filling stations in the state capital.
The Federal Government had last week reviewed downward the pump price of petroleum products from N145 to N125 per litre.
According to Sanusi, the DPR has a surveillance team, whose members always go out to monitor what goes on in the filling stations, including the stock level and the quality of fuel being dispensed to members of the public.He said he was satisfied with what he saw, adding that the exercise, although unannounced, was regularly carried out.Sanusi said reports reaching him also from the surveillance team showed full compliance with the new pump price.
He said, “Our activities are not limited to the state capital, Katsina, alone.“As we carry out surveillance in the state capital, we also have surveillance team that carries out inspection visits to the filling stations located outside the state capital.”Similarly, the Warri Zonal Office has warned petroleum marketers against hoarding the product.
The Operations Controller, DPR, Warri office, Mr Antai Asuquo, gave the warning during a surveillance exercise by the regulatory agency on Monday in Warri. Asuquo, who led the regulatory team to ascertain the level of compliance with the new price regime, told newsmen shortly after the exercise that the Federal Government had enough products that should not warrant panic-buying.
According to him, the pump price of petroleum products would be adjusted over time.He said, “The price of the PMS will continually be adjusted over time. The next adjustment may be lower. So, if you stockpile today and the price drops tomorrow, who will lose?
“Also, the public should not store petroleum products at home thinking that the price will go higher tomorrow; no, it may go further downward.”The DPR boss said that the regulatory agency would continue to carry out surveillance to ensure that the marketers dispensed at approved pump price and right quantity to the petrol consumers.
