DPR sanctions six filling stations, seals three others for under-dispensing PMS in Yenagoa

As part of its mandate to ensure that filling stations in Bayelsa State to dispense Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the new Federal Government approved pump price, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed three and sanctioned six filling stations in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital for under-dispensing the product.

According to the DPR, the three filling stations, Tonimas filling station at Edipie, Paudisman filling station at Opolo, Nun River filling station also at Edepie, were totally sealed because all their dispensing machines were found to be under-dispensing the product even though they have adjusted their meter to the approved N125 per litre.

Reacting to the new pump price of PMS pump price of N123 per litre announced by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), the State Controller of the DPR, Mr George Ene-Ita, who led a Taskforce to enforce compliance said: “We have not received a directive to that effect but for now we are working with N125 per litre directive.”

Tribune Online reports that the six filling stations sanctioned had some of their dispensing machines sealed for under-dispensing.

The stations include Unless God station at Tombia-Etegwe Round-about, Nun River station at Edepie, Tonimas station at Edepie, Sobaz station at Akenfa, Tamic station at Okutukutu and Paudsiman station at Opolo, all in Yenagoa metropolis.

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Addressing newsmen after going round filling stations in Yenagoa metropolis, Mr Ene-Ita said “on a general note, I would like to announce to Bayelsans that most of the operators in the state are strictly adhering to the pump price of N125 per litre.

“One filling station was sealed for selling above the official pump price of N125 per litre while the other two were sealed as a result of the fact that all their pumps were grossly dispensing.

“You know as regulators in the oil and gas sector, we are also contributing to the effort to arresting the coronavirus pandemic by advising operators to encourage proper hygiene. We are also distributing disposable hand gloves and sanitisers to ensure that COVID-19 doesn’t spread beyond what we have now.”