By Uzor Odigbo
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it has intensified surveillance of filling stations in Lagos State to ensure compliance with the approved pump price band for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Mr Ayorinde Cardoso, Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Lagos, made this known after an inspection visit to some petrol stations located in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki areas of the state.
According to a statement signed by Paul Osu , Head, Public Affairs DPR,vCardoso said the seven petrol stations inspected were selling fuel to customers between N162 to N165 per litre which was the approved price band.
“This surveillance visit is part of our regular function and we are coming out today to check product availability and product quality because we heard some information about water ingress in some of the tanks.
“We going out to check that. Also, we are looking at consumer protection so that they are not short-changed by under- dispensing.
“We have gone round to about seven stations and they are all selling within the approved pump price band,” he said.
Cardoso said the DPR sealed three fuel pumps that were under dispensing in one of the petrol stations, pending when they were rectified and re-evaluated by the regulatory agency.
According to him, though the agency has not discovered any incident of hoarding of petroleum products in the zone, its officials will continue to intensify surveillance on petrol stations.
He said : “I want to assure the public that the sufficiency level in Lagos State is okay and for now we have not seen any hoarding of products.
”Surveillance is a regular assignment for us and our officials are going around every day for that purpose. ”