Idris Ahmed, Lokoja
Following reports of irregularities at petrol filling stations in Kogi state, the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has warned Marketers and filling stations in Kogi State against hoarding of petroleum products to creative artificial scarcity. .
Kogi State Co-ordinator of the agency,, Engineer Godwin Ogbe ,who handed down the warning over the weekend, said stringent sanction will be mettled out to offenders caught sabotaging the effort of government in ensuring adequate supply and distribution of petrol and other related products .
Engr. Godwin Ogbe gave the warning during an interactive session in Lokoja with members of Correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists , Kogi state council .
The Coordinator of the NMDRA disclosed that the Authority will not tolerate any nefarious activities that will undermine the effort of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in ensuring that the petroleum products are available to Nigerians.
“Filling station owners in Kogi state should desist from any act that is capable of jeopardizing the effort of the federal government in the supply, sales and distribution of petrol. In the country.
“Any marketer that cuts corner or under dispense petrol or cooking gas in Kogi state, will be dealt with appropriately in addition to severe sanction .
“You can not be sabotaging the effort of the federal government when you are given the liberty to sell the fuel, based on what is being sold to you, therefore we will not tolerate any act of cheating in dispensing the product” he stated.
Engr. Ogbe also warned marketers against black market racketeering, or selling in jerry cans at night, with out approval from the Authority, if caught, will also attract attract sanctions.
The Coordinator also appealed to the general public to always be vigilant and report illegal activities of the fuel marketers to NMDPRA for appropriate action.
In his remark, the Chairman of Correspondent’s chapel of NUJ Kogi state council Mr Segun Ademola Salami, said the purpose of the visit was to intimate the Authority of the numerous complaints by fuel consumers on the activities of the filling station operators shortchanging them.
He advised the NMDPRA in Kogi to step up their monitoring effort in order to apprehend and sanction offenders to serve as deterrent to others.