Don’t Engage In Panic Buying, DPR, IPMAN Warn Motorists
Customers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Anambra have been warned not to engage in panic buying of the products as there was enough quantity to serve the state during Christmas and New Year period.
Mr Okiemute Akpomudjere, Operations Controller of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Anambra Office said this in Awka on Tuesday.
Akpomudjere also warned marketers against hoarding as the department would not condone artificial scarcity.
He said the market had been deregulated and that customers now had the options of buying in filling stations which sold at cheaper rate while assuring that DPR would continue to ensure that customers got full value of their money.
According to him, we have enough supply for Anambra, there is no for panic buying by customers or hoarding by marketers.
“On our part, we will continue with our monitoring activities to ensure that marketers give the right dispensing by ensuring that the gauge is within the tolerance limit, we will ensure people get value for their money.
“Government has removed N 5 per litre, it is our duty to ensure that it is enforced but we advise customers to be sensitive to price differences and patronise the ones that give then greater value,” he said.
On his part, Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu Depot said allocation to the zone which include Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states was sufficient.
Anyaso blamed the price differences on how the individual stations sourced their products and transportation cost but encouraged them to sell competitively.
He said the N5 per litre reduction had not been effective because his me!beds have not been loading at NNPC depots.
“The zone is ‘wet’ , we hope to have a seamless distribution this period but the only challenge is that we are relying on private depots and that has affected our pump price.
“We want to be lifting product from NNPC depots, the one in Enugu should be revitalised this will reduce our landing cost and name us sell at the cheapest possible rate,” he said.
Filling stations in Awka, the capital city were selling product between N162 and N168 per litre.
