Governor Douye Diri has warned oil marketers in Bayelsa against hoarding and profiteering following petrol.

The warning followed the sudden hike by petrol marketers to N600 per litre, following President Bola Tinubu’s pronouncement in his inaugural address that fuel subsidy was gone.

In a statement by his chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Mr Diri warned that his administration would take stern measures against any filling station that flouted the directive.

The Bayelsa governor said his government received reports that filling stations in Yenagoa had hiked the pump price to N500 per litre and above.

“Marketers in the state are said to have reacted to the pronouncement of President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on Monday that the federal government subsidy on petrol is gone,” said the Bayelsa government. “The Presidency, however, issued a clarification statement on Tuesday that the removal of the subsidy was yet to take effect.”

The governor said it was wicked for oil marketers to swiftly seek to profiteer at the detriment of the people following a mere pronouncement that had not taken effect.

Mr Diri noted that the pump price was a significant determinant of the cost of goods and services in the country and assured that his administration would not allow the people of Bayelsa to suffer undue hardship from the profiteering activities of some greedy businessmen.

The governor said he had directed the Bayelsa ministry of mineral resources and the petroleum task force in the state to shut any filling station hoarding the product or caught selling above the usual pump price.

He explained, “I have directed the relevant Ministry and the state’s task force on petroleum to ensure that all filling stations sell petrol within the usual price range. I have equally directed that any filling station that flouts this directive or fails to revert to the usual price be shut down.”

Mr Diri added, “We will take further stern measures against any station that defaults. This directive takes immediate effect.”

(NAN)