The Bauchi office of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has uncovered seven petrol filling stations operating illegally across the state.
Abdullahi Iliyasu, the Operations Controller of the Department made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi on Wednesday.
He said the affected stations had been sanctioned in accordance with the stipulated rules regulating establishment of filling stations, stressing, ”we will never compromise our rules.”
He commended all stakeholders like the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, major marketers, mega stations and the media for successful implementation of the new pump price of petrol.
Mr Illiyasu said that the new price regime of the commodity, pegged at between N121.50k to 123.50k was been implemented across the 20 local government areas in the state.
“We have so far recorded 70 per cent compliance,” he said.
NAN reports that the controller had issued a stern warning that those who refused to comply and revert to the new price of the product would be sanctioned appropriately.
Mr Illiyasu explained that his office had intensified efforts at ensuring that all filling stations had complied with safety measures to prevent the occurrence of any disaster.
He said the agency had recently embarked on campaign to sensitize the public on the need for them to embrace the use of the Liquified Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) for convenience and economy.
He added that resorting to usage of cooking gas had become imperative, especially now that the dual purpose kerosene, DPK, was scarce and expensive, urging interested businessmen to partake in the selling of cooking gas as it was lucrative and much easier than dealing in petrol.
He lauded the effort of the Federal Government for commencing oil exploration in Bauchi, stating that the initiative would further open up the country’s economy by boosting its revenue base and generating employment.
NAN
