Motorists and residents of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, have applauded the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, for sealing off five petrol stations for under-dispensing and also selling above the Federal Government approved pump price between N162 and N165 naira per litre.
The defaulting filling stations which are owned by independent marketers were caught selling at the rate of N170 and 175.
Luck ran out of these five filling stations in Yenagoa as the hammer of the regulatory agencies fell on them after they were caught on sharp practices while dispensing fuel products to customers.
To some residents, the cut-throat price of Premium Motor Spirit by marketers has been the major cause of the recent hike in the prices of food commodities and transportation in the state.
The Operations Controller, DPR, Yenagoa Field Office, Nicholas Ogbe, said the exercise became necessary to ensuring independent marketers do not short-change members of the public with sharp practices.
The DPR official told reporters that the sanctioned stations would remain sealed until they pay fines prescribed by the agency for such offences