The Department of Petroleum Resources threatened to withdraw the licence of any petroleum products marketers that’s selling above recommended prices.
Mrs Dorothy Bassey, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of DPR, gave this warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
NAN reports that the warning was sequel to the reports of sharp practices in some petrol stations and depots.
Bassey said that the agency had warned marketers several times against malpractices associated with petroleum products marketing.
She said that the new regime of stringent penalties against malpractices would soon begin at filling stations and depots across the country.
She added that the agency had directed its 24-hour monitoring team to carry out surveillance on stations that were profiteering and any station caught selling above official pump price of petrol would be sealed and also pay fine.
She said that licence of such stations would be withdrawn if they persisted with such illegal activities.
She stated that the reason of such penalty is to force the hands of the marketers to do the right thing as some are yet to conform to the government directives on the new pump price.
She added that they have been saddled with the responsibility by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to sanction all erring marketers.
She said affirmatively that they are going to seal those stations selling above pump price and distribute their products free. They will be sealed and will not reopen them until after three months.
Bassey said that the agency would also monitor stations in the hinterland to check malpractices in the areas.
