By Ijeoma Agudosi-Eket
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said it will enforce standards in the petroleum industry such that law breakers would be shown the way out.
With this warning beginning from 2015 the oil industry regulator will de-register petroleum retail outlets that fail to meet up with standard requirements in the sector.
It vowed to be strict on enforcing regulatory standards on the sales and storage of petroleum products.
The Controller of Operations, Mr. Eyo Antai Asuquo gave the warning in Eket, Akwa-Ibom state during an Annual Marketing Meeting with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
The meeting x-rayed the activities of stakeholders in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry within the last one year with a view to generating ideas to improve their operations in the coming year.
Eyo said, “We are, therefore, reminding you to note the following penalties that would be taken against defaulting companies as approved by DPR management as they relate to retail outlets operations.
According to him, Products diversion will attract a penalty of four months closure of the affected retail outlet. For products’ adulteration, such products would be quarantined and the affected retail outlet sealed for six months where adulteration is proven to have been carried out at the outlet“Product over-pricing at retail outlets will attract a penalty of closure of the outlet for at least, one month.
Pump under-dispensing will attract a penalty leading to the closure of the retail outlets for one month while violation of DPR seal at retail outlet will receive a sanction of closure of the retail outlet for six months while molestation of DRP personnel will attract outright revocation of license of the retail outlet.
Also speaking the representative of the Director of the Akwa-Ibom State Fire Service, Mr. Victor James enjoined the petroleum products dealers to always abide by the safety guidelines and policies set-up by government especially, by obtaining safety certificates from the department before the commencement of their operations noting that often times, the petroleum products dealers were found wanting in that regard.