DPR seals 11fuel stations, remits N2tn to FG in 2020

Victoria Ogunrinde

The Department of Petroleum Resources Abuja zonal office, on Thursday sealed up 11petrol stations for shortchanging motorists.

They also announced that it generated over N2tn for the Federal Government in 2020

The Director, DPR, Auwalu Sarki, while speaking in his virtual keynote address at the 2021 Society of Petroleum Engineers Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum in Abuja, said the department had repeatedly exceeded its revenue target.

He said, “The DPR takes seriously its mandate to optimise revenues for government, serve as adviser to government on petroleum matters and implement applicable policy direction.

“DPR, for instance, continues to exceed government revenue target by embracing systems and processes that ensure transparency and accountability in oil and gas revenue generation, computation, collection, reconciliation and legacy debt recovery.

“Last year alone, we generated over N2tn for this country and we intend to exceed that value in this year.”

He noted that the agency’s commitment to exceed last year’s N2tn remittance was despite the challenges encountered in the sector locally and internationally.

“All these are anchored on core principles of operational excellence that allows full flow of value to government,” Sarki stated.

In another development, DPR’s Zonal Operations Controller, Abuja, Mr Abubakar Buba, has led a team on an enforcement drive against erring filling stations within and around Abuja.

Buba told journalists that within the space of 24 hours, the agency sealed at least 11 filling stations for dispensing petrol above the regulated price, manipulating their meters and diverting the commodity.

He said there had been no increase in petrol price, adding that the DPR would strive to halt hoarding, diversion, adulteration and under-dispensing of products.

“As is part of our regular exercise, the DPR will continue to intensify its surveillance activities on all retail outlets within the zone and violators will be sanctioned accordingly,” Buba stated.