The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as fuel in Anambra State has hit N250, with some petrol stations even selling for as much as N300 per litre in some parts of the state.
Attempts by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to compel marketers to sell the product at the government regulated price of N145 per litre have, however failed, with some of the stations openly rejecting DPR’s plea and enforcement.
DAILY POST’s correspondent, who went round Awka, reports that, although the price of the product was high, it was also not available to motorists who have to move from one spot to the other looking for the products and ending up in long queues.
DAILYP OST observed that the DPR team, which came from their Enugu Office on enforcement, sealed 12 filling stations including the NNPC mega station in Awka for hoarding the fuel.
The team, which was led by one Mr. Daniel Atama met stiff resistance at Stanel Service Station, which was the only station selling at the approved price when they shut their station against customers, despite the confirmation of the availability of the product.
Even attempts to seal the station for non adherence to federal government order were resisted by the management of the company, who allegedly tore and threw away the seal order pasted by the enforcement team.
But reacting to the development, Mr. Chris Orage, General Manager of Stanel filling station, said they did not remove the seal placed by the DPR neither did they resist any team from the organisation.
Orage said the company had limited products and was trying to manage the queue by adhering to a stated time for dispensing of the product to marketers.
At the NNPC mega station, DPR sealed the station after it ascertained that about N12, 000 litres of the petrol was available, yet the company was not dispensing the product.
A motorists at the mega station who identified himself as Mr innocent Uzor, said they were patiently waiting because the station usually sold at night.
“We are here because we know they have fuel and they sell at N145, they usually sell at night. We thank the DPR for this enforcement, these marketers just make is suffer, may be because it is Christmas,” he said.
At Acorn filling station, which was also sealed, the Managing Director said it was impossible for them to sell at N145 because the landing cost was much more than that, he said he would rather have his station sealed than sell at a loss.
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