DPR seals 12 petrol stations in Bayelsa
Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) at the weekend shut down 12 petrol stations in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, for various sharp practices and expiration of their operational licenses.
The stations were sealed when officials of the DPR carried out routine surveillance exercise to determine the level of compliance of filling stations to existing regulations.
Some of the petrol outlets were accused of non-compliance to safety standards and under-dispensing of products to unsuspecting consumers.
The DPR Manager of Operations, Ibinabo Jack, who led the exercise, said some of the stations were sealed for operating illegally following their inability to renew their licenses.
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He said others failed to meet the expected safety standard, which he said was a compulsory requirement because it concerned human lives.
He lamented that while some stations had expired fire extinguishers, others did not have at all, saying such stations would not be allowed to operate in the state.
Jack said his team also sealed a gas-retailing plant because it was supposed to operate in isolation and not within a fuel station as directed by the federal government.
He called on the erring stations to take advantage of the ongoing renewal regime, which would last till December, to get updated operational licences to avoid indefinite closure of their fuel stations.
He said: “We found out that several outlets are actually under dispensing among which we placed seal on them and we also found out that some are not having valid licences and have been advised to initiate the process of renewal.
“DPR has its internal mechanism to check the operations of the retailing outlets, their appearances; what we call personal protective equipment, putting on coveralls and shoes that cover their toes and things like that.
“Any station that is sealed doesn’t just go free, there are penalties attached to it. For insurance, if a pump is under-dispensing, not just because they have to pay fine, we ensure that they reset their meters to dispense ten litres to customers for ten litres.”