The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Eket field office, has sealed five petrol stations over alleged diversion and under-dispensing of petroleum products.
Ikechukwu Eseka, the coordinator of NMDPRA in Akwa Ibom, disclosed this while speaking to journalists after routine surveillance operations in Uyo on Thursday.
Mr Eseka said that one of the petrol stations, owned by Godwin Ekpo, the chairman of the Akwa Ibom Petroleum Products Monitoring Committee, was sealed over alleged non-possession of an operating licence.
He said the outlet was not licensed to operate, stating, ”If a station is not licensed, the source of the products being sold is questionable.”
“This is a clear case of diversion of about 15,000 litres of petrol. How did they get the product? We have a ‘no licence, no loading’ directive in place,” he said.
The coordinator further said four other petrol stations in Uyo were sealed over infractions such as poor housekeeping, unapproved modifications to the station, and under-dispensing, among others.
He said the stations would remain sealed until they complied with the conditions specified by the federal government.
(NAN)