In a chat with the Nigerian Observer today, the newly inaugurated People’s Task Force on the control of fuel price in Edo State led by Comrade Kelly Osunbor stated that they visited some filling stations around Benin metropolis to monitor the level of compliance with the directives of the federal government and IPMAN national leadership that pump price should not be more than the government’s approved price of N190.

While narrating their field experience, Dr. Francis Osayi, secretary, People’s Task Force, Edo State said the first filling station the task force visited was RAPTOR along Sapele Road, opposite Mega filling station.

Dr. Francis said “Though we saw N470 on display, yet they were not selling and upon inquiry, the manager told the task force that they are waiting for the engineer to come and restore it to the govt approved price of N190”.

“When we got to Rainoil along Sokponba Road, close to first junction, Benin City, we met a very long queue but we found that the station was selling at N235 a litre. We told the manager that it is above the approved price and that we are not comfortable with it and therefore mandated him to adjust it to N190”, he said.

Comrade Kelly further posited that the committee moved to HiFly and Ona City both along Sokponba Road, and discovered that they were not selling and that took them to Quest Service Station along first by Saint Joseph’s
“to our chagrin, we noticed that they were selling at N450”, he said.

“Sales were disrupted a little so as to give ample time for the task force to address the manager and the residents. We expressed our displeasure and asked the management to readjust to government price”.

“From there, the task force went to Conoil along airport road and there we met them selling at N350 but investigation revealed that, that same morning, they were selling at N500 but quickly adjusted their meter to N350 once they heard of the task force’s visits to other filling stations.

”The task force later paid a visit to the office of Nigeria’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (former DPR) to interact and interface with the leadership.

“We were informed by them that according to government’s decision, fuel should be sold not more than N190 – N205. He then promised to form a task force that will be supported by the People’s Task Force, to ensure that both Independent and Major Marketers obey the price approved by government”.