By ANAYO OKOLI
ABA — Abia State office of Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has sealed off four petrol stations in the state for various offences, including selling fuel above the government approved pump price of N97 per litre, operating without licence and under-delivery of products.
Two of the filling stations were sealed in Umuahia, while two others were shut down in the commercial city of Aba.
They included Masters Energy on Akanu Ibiam Avenue, Umuahia, which was sealed for operating without licence and under-delivery of products.
Another branch of Masters Energy on Aba Road, Umuahia, was also shut for operating without licence.
In Aba, Universal Oil on Aba-Owerri Road was sealed for selling fuel above N97 per litre and under-delivery of products to customers while AP filling station also on Aba-Owerri Road, was partially sealed as one pump was isolated for under-delivery of gas.
However, at Charles Ben Moore filling station at Ubakala, Umuahia, where fuel was sold for N100, the manager, David Erugo, was ordered to revert to the N97 or risked having the place closed down. He immediately compiled.
Erugo, however, defended his high price, saying they bought from major independent marketers at a higher price since the filling station had not started getting delivery from the NNPC depot.
In his reaction, the operational controller of DPR, Aba office, Engr. Patrick Orji, regretted that some marketers of petroleum products still engaged in acts of sabotage against the Federal Government by shortchanging customers.
Orji vowed that DPR would no longer fold its arms and watch oil marketers perpetrate all forms of anomalies in the name of doing business.
He warned that government guidelines, as they concerned the sale of petroleum products must be implemented to the letter.
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