By correspondent in Lokoja.
Residents of Lokoja, Kogi State, especially motorists, have advised the Governor of the state, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, to set up a monitoring team to ensure filling stations sell fuel at the old price they bought the product before the new price commences at the end of June.
Our correspondent reports that fuel dealers in the state adjusted their price from the official N189 per liter ranging from N537, N538 to N540 per liter, immediately after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, announced the new price. This they did why having fuel carrying old price.
Those who spoke with our correspondent in Lokoja on Sunday at various filling stations in Lokoja expressed concern that fuel dealers in the area were selling fuel they bought at old prices for new prices, thereby cheating motorists and other members of the society.
A commercial driver, Mr . Eleojo Abraham, noted that whereas the new fuel pump price is expected to take effect at the end of June, fuel dealers in Lokoja had raised the price of the product from the official rate of N189 per liter to N540, representing over 190 percent increase.
"This is why you realize that transport fare has also gone up in our response to the price we are confronted with at the filling stations in Lokoja and else in Kogi State.
"We advise the state government to check the excess of these fuel dealers. Let them wait for the time the new pump price of fuel to commence officially before beginning to sell the product at the new rate," he said.
Other members of the society, in their interview with The Reporters, toed the line of thought by Abraham, stressing the need for such a team to give respite to motorists already buying fuel through their noses before the new price takes effect.
Mr.Yakubu Salami, a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada, argued that if the federal government had not commenced the fuel to the dealers at the new price, " then, it stands to reason that, these fuel dealers are shortchanging members of the public in the state. "
Meanwhile, feelers from Edo State indicate that the state government has commenced inspection to check fuel scarcity, hoarding, and a hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit in the state.
The task force was set up to regulate the product-inspected fuel stations in the Benin Metropolis to check against hoarding, as well as address the issue of artificial scarcity and arbitrary hikes in prices of petroleum products in the state.
Speaking to journalists during the inspection, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Mining, Ferguson Enabulele, said the state government would carry out further engagements with relevant authorities on the matter.
He said, “We discovered under-dispensing in some of these stations, over pricing which cannot be fully justified as some are saying the sector has been fully deregulated but there is no formal letter from the state government concerning that. So, we still stand with the old prices of these products.”
Enabulele noted, “It’s a bit difficult to reach a specific position on this issue now (pricing). We will hold further conversations with the DPR Office in the State and thereafter, inform the state governor of our findings.
“We will invite owners of filling stations to engage with them also. It is when we have that information that we will now know what to do because as we stand, there is no formal authority deregulating that sector but as against what most of these petrol stations are acting on - as if the sector has been fully deregulated and they have control over their pricing.”
He added, “We empathize with our people and assure them that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that they get these products at affordable prices.
“I want to appeal to everyone to be patient as there is going to be more engagement with the DPR tomorrow after which we will come out with an authoritative position on this issue.”
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
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