The Edo State Government has said 18 trucks carrying 720,993 litres of petroleum products have arrived the state to ease the lingering fuel scarcity, warning filling stations against hoarding the product.
The Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Oil & Gas, Hon. Joseph Ugheoke, in a chat with journalists, said the products are being discharged at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s Mega stations as well as stations of major distributors of petroleum products across the state.
He added that the products are to be sold at the official rate of N145 per litre, noting that a team from the state government and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), will go round to enforce this and sanction erring filling stations.
According to him, “We have just received 18 trucks of petroleum products, with a total of 720,993. NNPC Mega stations and oil majors that are receiving these products are mandated to sell the products at N145 per litre. Anyone found to be selling above the price will be sealed by DPR and Edo State Government.
“With the flow of products into the state, it is hoped that in the next one week, we will start getting over the issue of fuel shortage.”
Recall that the state government has over the last few weeks threatened to shut down petrol stations that have been hoarding products after it received about 500,000 litres of petroleum products.
A taskforce composed of officials of the state government and the DPR have been monitoring the discharge of the products to ensure that sly businessmen do not take advantage of residents during the Yuletide.
