Enugu govt threatens close down petrol stations over meter manipulation

On Friday, the Enugu State Government threatened to shut down gas stations that were manipulating their meters to take advantage of drivers and other customers.

Insisting that such shady practices would no longer be tolerated in the state, the state described it as criminal for petroleum dealers in the state to take advantage of customers by purposefully manipulating meters while dispensing fuel incorrectly.

The government assured the citizens of its sincere concern for their plight at the hands of the exploiters while urging the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria to ensure that filling stations abide by an accurate metering system.

Mr. Emeka Ajogwu, the Commissioner for Special Duties, issued the warning while paying an impromptu visit to a few gas stations in the Enugu metropolis to investigate reports of filling station owners allegedly manipulating meters.

None of the stations we visited, not even the major distributing stations, had an accurate metering system.

Ajogwu explained to reporters shortly after the inspection that despite the high price of the product, residents and drivers in the state had been complaining to the government constantly about being undercharged at gas stations. He added that this was the reason the government decided to visit stations for confirmation.

Ajogwu bemoaned the callousness of the dealers who under-supplied the consumer-purchased goods, claiming that such manipulation would soon come to an end as harsh measures were being taken by the appropriate authorities against errant dealers.

He expressed surprise as to why gas station salespeople would take advantage of customers and said the sleazy behavior was “unacceptable”.

He declared that the government of Governor Peter Mbah was devoted to improving people’s lives and would not stand by and do nothing as people were strangled.

He claims that “over 20 filing stations visited adjusted their meters and sold between N600-N620 per litre, respectively. Consumers were proven to have been shortchanged by N768, N702, N682, N575, N441, N480, and N256 points for every 20 liters of gasoline purchased.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by other government representatives, warned the station managers and told them to re-adjust their meters to the precise metering system.

Insisting that the state government will devise an appropriate sanction against defaulters, he said the monitoring will be a routine exercise.