TheCable

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has observed that Nigerians have no qualms buying fuel at exorbitant prices, but it warned petroleum marketers to desist from exploiting them by hiking the price of petroleum products.

Issuing this warning in Ibadan, Oyo State, the petroleum-regulating agency advised those behind the act to desist or face the consequences of their actions,

Operations Controller of DPR in the southwestern state, Mr. Olakunle Ogunlana, lamented that some marketers are fond of capitalising on the shortfall in the supply of petroleum.

He disclosed that the federal government has no intention of increasing petroleum pump prices, and blamed the public for failing to cooperate with plans to seal stations selling petroleum products above the stipulated price.

“It is obvious that some of them would prefer to buy above the N97 per litre price than having to queue in stations selling at the control price,” said Ogunlana.

“This is one of the challenges we are encountering in our efforts to stop stations from selling at high prices.”

He pleaded with members of the public to cooperate with the agency by providing information on defaulting stations, stating that DPR would be unable to achieve anything meaningful without the support of Nigerians.

According to him, defaulters stand the risk of getting their stations sealed up for months or getting their licence withdrawn.

Fielding questions from journalists during the recent Presidential Media chat, President Goodluck Jonathan had described the act as criminal, vowing that those responsible would be apprehended and prosecuted.