Daniel Terungwa

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has clarified its decision to request for daily stock records from members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

IPMAN, Suleja/Abuja Unit, had threatened to embark on an industrial action over alleged extortion by officials of the DPR, with the Chairman of the unit, Yahaya Alhassan, saying that DPR’s request for daily transaction records from filling stations was unacceptable.

“IPMAN has no other alternative other than instructing our members not to load from Suleja depot in Niger State to express our frustrations after all efforts to make DPR officials desist from unethical practices failed,” he stated.

But a statement by the Head, Public Affairs of DPR, Mr Paul Osu, noted that the attention of the regulatory agency had been drawn to the misunderstanding over the request for daily stock records.

“This development follows an online publication on allegations of extortion against the DPR by the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Suleja/Abuja branch on the stock request.

“We want to state for the records that request for daily stock of products supplied is a statutory regulatory requirement for any retail outlet license holder, which enables DPR to provide accurate petroleum products consumption data for the country. This regulatory oversight is at no cost to the retail outlets,” DPR said.

It stated that the provision of the daily stock report, which is also applicable to petroleum products depots also enables DPR to provide investment guide to investors in line with its role as a business enabler and opportunity house for the oil and gas industry.

“The department wishes to inform all marketers that all applications and applicable statutory fees for retail outlet operations have been migrated online- (www.dpr.gov.ng) in furtherance of the federal government’s ease of doing business policy.