Abide by all rules and regulations to avoid penalties - DPR

Abiodun oba |

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has advised all petroleum products marketers in the country to abide by all the rules and regulations to avoid penalties.

Mr Amos Bernard, Head of Operation, Gombe state Field Office, stated this at an interactive session with marketers of petroleum products in Gombe on Wednesday.

“I advise the marketers to abide by all the rules and regulations to avoid penalties.

“Any filling station found wanting of diverting its product must be sanctioned; pays N270 per a litre of the diverted product.

“Those found with pump under delivery, their station will be shut down for a month with penalty of N100, 000.

“Violation of selling petroleum product above government price attracts closure of the outlet for one month with penalty of N100, 000.

“In addition, DPR head-hunters will make a formal report of such outlets to the Petroleum Product Price Regulation Agency (PPPRA) for further sanctions under Petroleum Support Fund (PSF),’’ he said.

“The aim of establishing the centres is to ensure that every personnel working in the sector, is adequately trained, understand the basic, safety, and risk associated with their work, mitigate those risks and respond to emergency situation in their place of work.

To ensure there is adequate knowledge of the business, Mr Amos Bernard revealed that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) will establish training centres in all the zones across the country for training of all filling stations’ personnel.

In his contribution, Alhaji Abdullahi Abawa, DPR Comptroller, Gombe said that they would soon go for audit of every filling station in the state to ensure they abide by the rules.

“If you violate any of these laws, you should correct it before our visit to avoid any challenge,’’ he said.

Responding, Alhaji Adamu Sale, Chairman, Independent Marketers Branch, Gombe Depot, commended DPR for organizing such programme and advised them to be doing such audit regularly.

He said that such programme would help to enlighten marketers and create understanding between DPR officials and the marketers in running their business.

Sale urged DPR to do the needful to enable marketers discharge their business successfully in the state, especially at the Depot.