Edo State petroleum monitoring committee inaugurated on May 15, 2009 by the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to amongst others to help in alleviating the suffering of the people of Edo state as regards petroleum product matters.
The committee is made up of nine (9) members, under the Chairmanship of Lord Amen Osunde and 18 coordinators from each of the local government area to coordinate and monitor the activities of the petroleum dealers in the local government areas.
For the record, Edo State has had petroleum monitoring committee in the time past, the first committee was chaired by the late B.J. Okundaye and the other was under the leadership of Chief Eduwu Ekhator and they performed excellently well, which in a way challenged the present chairman of the committee, Lord Amen Osunde to go all out to see that he surpasses their record and this is evidence in the many discoveries he has made in just few mouths in office.
He has been carrying out the task with all humility of purpose to see that the people for which the committee was set up in the first place benefit, by making sure the people (motorists) get the right product and at the right time and have value for their money.
Discoveries
Lord Amen Osunde have been able to discover through the routine monitoring of the activities of petroleum marketers in all the nooks and corners of the state, how the dealer hoard fuel to create artificial scarcity for them (dealers) to make extra gain, under dispensing fuel (pms) to the motorist, sell above government approved pump price of N65 per litre, and adulteration the products which put the end users (motorist / masses) at great risk and put a hole in their hard earned money.
Hazards
Like the popular saying “all job have its own risk” – the chairman Edo state petroleum monitoring have been attacked and injured in the course of carrying out the job of monitoring the activities of petroleum dealers in the state.
At Okada junction, Lord amen Osunde and some of the members of the committee including journalist were attacked by those who were involved in not only adulteration also bunkering.
The blackmarket racketeers by Dawson read and environs also attacked the vehicle of the committee as they clamp down on the illegal sales of fuel in jerrycans and gallons by the road side.
How do these blackmarket operators get their product to sell by the road side you may ask? The simple answer is the dealers, some independent marketers who normally will not sell to motorist but to their agents, for them to make double gains. All these activities is traceable to some independent marketers who are trying to make things difficult for the chairman of the petroleum monitoring committee because the chairman have not allow them some independent marketers) to continue with their sharp practices which they are known for.
What Is The Way Forward?
The way forward is for all in the state to join hands with Lord Amen Osunde led committee to make the state a shining example to other state, the dealers should try to stop hoarding fuel and other sharp practices they involve in.
The issue of long queues recently experience by motorist in filling stations across the state was as a result of the planned deregulation of the petroleum product by the Federal Government but was however not carried out and they marketers have capitalized on the situation to make excessive gains by under dispensing and selling above the approve pump price.
Lord Amen Osunde deserve a part on the back for the good work and for being able to bring to fore the activities of some of the independent dealers in the state. He has dialogue with them and some have decided to join him in the good workd, he has sealed up some of the stations and make them write an undertaking to be of good behaviour Suggestion.
The suggestion now is the committee should be backed so that those arrested and found involve in sharp practices will be persecuted, to serve as an example to others.
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