‘We won’t condone it’ — Enugu to seal petrol stations over meter manipulation

The Enugu state government says it will shut down petrol stations under-dispensing to consumers. 

Emeka Ajogwu, commissioner for special duties, made the government’s position known on Friday during an unscheduled tour of filling stations. 

The visit, he said, was to ascertain the veracity of alleged sharp practices by petroleum marketers in the state. 

He said such practices include metre adjustment, adding that the state would no longer tolerate marketers who short-change consumers. 

Ajogwu expressed disappointment that none of the 15 petrol stations he visited had an accurate measuring system.

He, therefore, directed the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu chapter, to call their members to order, saying fraudulent marketers would have the government to contend with henceforth.

He said the state government embarked on the exercise following complaints by Enugu residents and motorists.

“The administration has received tons of complaints on this issue of sharp practices by petroleum products marketers in the state,” he said. 

“Sadly, after our unscheduled visits to 15 filling stations, we discovered that none of their metres was accurate. Yet they sold petrol at between N600 and N620 per litre.

“For every 20 litres of fuel Enugu residents bought, they were short-changed to the tune of N768.60, N702, N682.00, N575, N441.60, N480, and N256.2. We view this as both ungodly and pure economic sabotage.

“The Dr Peter Mbah administration remains committed to boosting productivity and making life better for the people, and we will not fold our hands and watch this economic strangulation continue. It is insensitive, unacceptable, and we will never condone it.”

Ajogwu warned the station managers to re-adjust their metres, adding that any station found wanting in the future would be closed indefinitely.