Anthony Ifeanyi, Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, said the Anambra government would set up a committee to monitor activities of petrol stations in the state.

Mr Ifeanyi announced this in a statement signed by Obiorah Anthony, his spokesman in Awka on Sunday.

He said he had informed leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) of the proposal during their meeting last week but was awaiting the approval of the governor.

According to him, the ministry is waiting for Governor Charles Soludo’s approval to constitute committees on surveillance for monitoring of the activities of the petroleum dealers.

“The committee will also checkmate the issue of importation of adulterated products into the state as well as regulate the activities of black petroleum marketers in the state,” he said.

Mr Ifeanyi urged marketers to refrain from increasing the pump price of fuel arbitrarily and said they should maintain the official N165 per litre.

The commissioner also warned against circulation of adulterated fuel.

“Indiscriminate increase on the prices of petroleum products in the country and Anambra in particular, will definitely affect the transport system, economy and every other sector of human endeavour in the state,” he said.

Chinedu Anyaso, IPMAN chairman at the Enugu depot, said the increase in the price of petroleum products was orchestrated by the prevailing circumstances in the sector.

Mr Anyaso, joined by Cletus Obiokafor, chairman of the fuel marketers in Anambra, said the sector was highly competitive and marketers were selling at the cheapest prices possible, to remain in business.

He said there was the twin problems of scarcity and price increase at the depots and that they relied on private depots outside the South-East to source fuel because there was no functional one in the zone.

(NAN)