No problem of fuel scarcity during Yuletide - DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) has assured Nigerians of adequate supply of products across the country before, during and after the yuletide season.

Acting Director of Operations, Abuja Zonal Office, Alhaji Idris Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja on Sunday.

“You can be rest assured that we cannot encounter the problem of scarcity during the yuletide season.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the major supplier of the products, is on top of it and DPR as the regulator is equally monitoring distribution of these products.

“We are monitoring as we do before and we are sure that marketers are working because what causes scarcity most time is the shortage of supply.

“And as you know, with the closure of the border, the smuggling is not there again and we have enough products, the marketers are selling. So, we don’t envisage any scarcity at any point ahead of the celebration for Christmas and New year,’’ he said.

Commenting on accuracy of pumps for dispensing petroleum products, he said that the DPR had been going around to ensure that filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) do not short change motorists.

He said that with the introduction of the digital Seraphin measurement, any operator found wanting would be sanctioned according to the rules.

“Our concern is to make sure that marketers did not short-change anybody, what we want is accuracy. If it is two litres, let it be two litres.

“But I can tell you that in Abuja, most of the filling stations are dispensing accurately, may be because we are always checking on them, but you cannot rule out some miscreants but we always clamp down on them.

He advised motorists to be watchful and attentive when buying products at petrol stations, adding that “sometimes motorists are being cheated when they are in a hurry’’.

On regularisation of registration by illegal operators of filling stations and Gas plants around the FCT, he said that the DPR and other relevant agencies were working together to get them do the right thing.

He said that those apprehended during the clampdown exercise were under the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) for prosecution.

He said that DPR before embarking on any clampdown on illegal petrol stations or gas plant, sensitizes the public so that those involved would have time to do the right thing.

“The NSCDC is on it, the last time we met, they informed us that a good number of those illegal operators apprehended have been charged to court.

“As you know, we don’t have the legal right to arrest anybody, we only stop you if you are not legally operating,’’ he said.

He advised all illegal sellers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), known as cooking gas and petrol station in the FCT and its environ to get their business properly registered with the DPR.