DPR to sustain surveillance on Petroleum Marketers, launches digital device

Abiodun OBA

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has pledged to sustain its surveillance of marketers in the industry and therefore advised them to be careful with what they are doing.

DPR Abuja Zonal Controller, Abuja Mr Sadiu Abubakar gave the warning during the launch of a device, Digital Seraphin Can, to help ensure accuracy in dispensing petroleum products across the country.

Abubakar while leading some journalists on monitoring of some sealed filling station in Abuja on Tuesday said the device was one of major moves to help ensure smooth operation by marketers.

“The digital Seraphin Can is of many advantages to the consumers, marketers and to the Nigerian Government because of its role.

“This is because you will never achieve anything without accuracy and you know what it means to government revenue.

“This is why DPR is insisting that it cannot continue with use of analogue machine to check what the marketers are doing. The Digital Seraphin Can is very efficient,” he said

He said the device would help to check safety, gauge temperature and ensure accuracy.

Commenting on monitoring of the filling stations, Abubakar said it was to ensure that they were working in line with government policies as the ember months approach.

He said that DPR Abuja had conducted a technical audit of all petrol stations in Abuja.

“We audited about 316 of them out of which 10 were found to be below standard and we have asked them to upgrade their stations.

“Five out of the 10 have upgraded and they are operational and we have gone round the remaining five, where we discovered that they are beyond redemption.

“What they have to do is serious upgrade before they will be allowed to operate,” he said

He said part of the exercise was to ensure that fuel supply and distribution consistency was maintained.

“We need to look ahead, very soon, we are entering the ember months and it is during this period that we have issues of supply gap and the rest of them.

“We need to be on ground to make sure that everybody celebrates the yuletide in a very happy and good mood,” he added.

Two of the sealed filling stations are JIBEC filling station and ASIO and Sons limited all located in Gwagwalada Area Council, on the outskirts of Abuja.

Abubakar re-emphasised that the purpose of the auditing of filling stations was to ensure smooth and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.

“We are going into ember months and that is why we have audited the filling stations first,” he said.