By Mike Adeyemi
Following the persistent fuel scarcity in the country, the Kwara State Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Phillips Salvation has decried rising activities of black marketers in the state.
Speaking to Pilot Business in his office on Monday, the DPR boss, noted that the fuel hawkers carried out their activities mostly at night, adding that efforts are on by the agency to curtail the unwholesome practice.
According to him, the agency has a surveillance team with the responsibility to arrest and bring to book fuel hawkers operating in the state.
He, therefore warned members of the public from patronising black marketers, noting that the petroleum product they put up for sale are mostly adulterated.
โAs soon as the supply of the product increases, the activities of black marketers would cease, โ Salvation added.
He further said that the agency has put necessary modalities in place toward curbing the excesses of filling stations in the state, most of which sell fuel above the regulated pump price.
It would be recalled that about 26 petrol stations where sealed off by DPR a fortnight ago over irregular practices.
He said: โThe affected filling station committed various offences punishable under the law, and they have been sanctioned indefinitely.โ
However, Salvation applauded the recent passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly, saying it is a timely roadmap, which would bring about sanity in the industry.
โI think Nigeria is getting there gradually. Deregulation is the only solution to this menace. This will bring about competition in the industry and all sorts of monopolistic conduct will disappear,โ he stated.
