George Odok
The Department of Petroleum Resources has visited some depots operating at the Calabar tank farm with a view to checkmate their operations and ensure strict compliance with the agency’s guidelines and regulations.
Operations Controller of DPR in Cross River, Mr Philip Awolu, led other staff on the inspection tour on Wednesday in Calabar.
Awolu said that the agency was concerned about petroleum product lifting and distribution across the state to ensure availability.
He said that the visit was also to ensure that the product was sold to marketers at the government approved price and without diversion that would lead to panic buying.
He added that as part of the agency’s guidelines, depots are supposed to have safety checks, laboratory service for testing of product and maintenance of sound house keeping.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Northwest depot that any depot that falls short of the agency’s requirement will be sanctioned.
“The Federal Government frowns at diversion and what is not right, especially at this period of the year. We are here to see how the depot owners are complying with standard operating procedures.
“We have met with depot owners and major marketers on the way forward for the Christmas period and beyond.
“We warned them against bulk buying, price hike and diversion of the product in other to ensure availability,” he said.
Mr Awolu assured motorists in the state that there was enough petroleum product that would serve them within the Christmas period and beyond.
“From our assessment, majority of the depots have adequate product that would serve the state during the Christmas period and beyond; so there is no need for panic buying,” he assured.