Edo State Government has warned petroleum marketers in the state to desist from diverting petroleum products allocated to Edo State to neighboring states, thereby causing artificial scarcity of the products.
In a statement, Commissioner for Minerals, Oil and Gas, Hon. Joseph Ugheoke said as part of effort to ensure consistent and increased supply of petroleum products, particularly Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automated Gasoline Oil (AGO) in Edo State, the state government is reaching out to oil marketers and other stakeholders in the downstream sector with a view to addressing irregularities and illegalities in the sector.
Ugheoke noted that the state government is also offering solutions to prevent artificial scarcity of petroleum products across the state in the interest of all stakeholders and the general public.
According to him, “members of the public are advised not to engage in panic buying as the state government assures of adequate supply and distribution of petroleum products across the state.”
He warned “All petroleum marketers are to desist from hoarding and diverting petroleum products to neighboring state as the Ministry of Minerals, Oil and Gas is working hand-in-hand with the security agencies, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other relevant stakeholders to sanction defaulting marketers.”
Recall that the state government had read a riot act to marketers not to cause artificial scarcity in the state by hoarding petroleum products, during a meeting between the Commissioner for Minerals, Oil and Gas and executives of petroleum marketers’ associations in the state.
