The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Bayelsa State says it has sealed ten Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and one illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stations in Yenagoa over expired licences and lack of basic operational equipment.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that DPR sealed the defaulting stations on Wednesday, when its surveillance team led by Mr Ibinabo Jack, the Head of Operations in the state field office, paid an unscheduled visit to some retail petrol outlets.
It was further learnt that the affected filling stations were Tamic Oil and Gas, Paudsiman Nigeria Limited, Ido Oil and Gas, De Arizona Nigeria Limited and Kenyan Oil, Gas Limited, Sohwo Oil and Gas Limited, Paulo Oil and Gas, Sea Bird Oil and Gas, RSK Oil and Gas Limited and Emily Oil and Gas, all in Yenagoa metropolis.
He said: “The sealing of filling stations is not new and it’s not going to be a one-off thing rather, it will be a continuous exercise. We caught some of them dispensing to customers below the variation.
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“For instance, a station that is selling at point 41CL of every 10 litres is short-changing the public. In other words, where they ought to get 10 litres, they are given maybe six or seven litres. This is not fair,” he stated.
The DPR chief said that the stations that were placed under seal had committed so many irregularities which were punishable, adding that while some were under dispensing, others did not have fire extinguishers.
“Some did not even have sand buckets and these are things needed for their safety and that of their facilities as well as their customers.
“The penalties depend on their offences. When they report at DPR’s office, appropriate penalties will be spelt out to each of them.
“The DPR is a regulatory body and there are regulations biding the operations of retail outlets which need to be maintained by the operators.
“The new policy now is that no gas station should be inside a fueling station, it is wrong, so, the Federal Government is against it,” he said.
He said the Federal Government, has urged those operating LPG stations to relocate their retail outlet away from residential areas in order to ensure the safety of lives and properties, but they have failed to comply with the directive.
Jack, urged those whose stations were sealed to always adhere to the rules and regulations of DPR for the interest of the general public.