Fuel crisis: DPR seals five petrol stations in Bayelsa

As part of its measures to bring stability to price of petrol, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has shut down five filling stations in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for selling above government approved price.

A team of DPR officials led by its Head of Operations in Bayelsa field office, Mr Ibinabo Jack, paid unscheduled visits to many of the retail petrol outlets, after warning them last week to desist from selling above approved price.

Among the filling stations sealed were Sobaz, Emily and two NNPC outlets, all in Yenagoa, the state capital.

According to DPR, the stations

sealed were selling far above the approved pump price. It urged others to desist from such acts or face sanctions.

Our correspondent, who monitored their activities on Wednesday, noticed that only few petrol stations opened for business, which resulted into panic buying and a mild scarcity in the metropolis.

However, even with the DPR team moving round town to monitor the retail outlets, consumers were still buying at above N145.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the operation, Ibanabo said they were out on surveillance as part of their duties to make sure that the members of the public were not short-changed by petroleum retail marketers.

The Head of Operations said, “Actually we are out on a surveillance over the abrupt increase in pump price prevailing in the state. We have visited some stations and anyone we see selling above approved pump price we seal such station; and with the accompanying strident penalties.

“Some that were sealed were actually meant to receive some number of trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), but we discovered that those trucks loaded with PMS never arrived.

“Some of them were under dispensing. This particular station which you can see is an NNPC filling station, was selling at NNPC price of N142 but we discovered that some of the pump was faulty and we will sealed them up,” he said.