PEDAN Decries Shutdown Of 15 Outlets By Alleged Anambra Gov’t Agents
Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN), Anambra has condemned the shutdown of filling stations in the state by agents of government.
Mr Izukanne Chibuike, Chairman of PEDAN in Anambra said this while speaking to journalists in Awka on Friday.
Recall that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Anambra had engaged Divine Rapture Company as consultants to monitor and report ‘illegal activities’ within the oil and gas value chain.
The letter, signed by the Permanent Secretary on behalf of the Commissioner empowered Divine Rapture Company to monitor illegal bunkering, identify production and distribution of substandard petroleum products and gather intelligence on unlawful mining.
Chibuike said the invasion, harassment and closure of members’ outlets in Anambra was both illegal and unacceptable to marketers.
He urged Gov. Chukwuma Chukwuma Soludo to call officials of the ministry to avoid unnecessary crisis in the petroleum product destruction value chain within the state.
PEDAN Chairman said that Nigeria Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority( NMDPRA) and Weight and Measures were the only agencies that regulate operations in the downstream sector.
He said the action of the Ministry and its agent contravened section 48 (1) of the PIA 2021 which conferred powers of regulation and guideline, enforcement order or directive on NMDPRA.
“There is this illegal group who said they are acting on behalf of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources that are going to filling stations and harassing them.
“As I am talking to you now, they have sealed more than 15 filling stations, this is illegal and unacceptable.
“We are appealing to Prof. Soludo to look into the illegal activities of the group and stop them,” he said
Chibuike said PEDAN members would continue to be law abiding and subject their operations to the supervision of relevant authorities in the inter
est of the public.
