SCARCITY: Oyo Govt Calls On DPR To Sanction Marketers Hoarding Petrol

A call has gone to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to start monitoring petroleum stations in the State and sanction marketers found hoarding the product.

 

The State Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Prof. Daud Kehinde Sangodoyin made the call on Monday while featuring on a radio program on Fresh FM 105.9 in Ibadan.

 

Shangodoyin said the scarcity of fuel that started on Sunday was artificial as there was no reason for most of the marketers not to sell to the people.

 

Most fuel stations in Ibadan were not selling fuel to motorists while those selling experienced long cues which also contributed to traffic gridlock in some parts of the metropolis.

 

“As government, we are doing all we can to make life easy for the people of Oyo State and this is reflected in the number of infrastructural projects around the State, for some people to be creating artificial scarcity of fuel for pecuniary reasons is wrong and inhuman.

 

“The Department of Petroleum Resources should as a matter of urgency swing into action and arrest the situation, they have the work of monitoring cut out for them and this is the moment to bring those marketers sabotaging government by hoarding products to book,” he said.

 

 

Recall that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of petrol in March, 2021.

 

A press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the Corporation was not contemplating any raise in the price of petrol in March in order not to jeopardize ongoing engagements with organized labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.

 

NNPC also cautioned petroleum products marketers not to engage in arbitrary price increase or hoarding of petrol in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.

 

The Corporation further stated that it has enough stock of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for over 40 days and urged motorists to avoid panic buying.

 

It further called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.