The Osun State government has described as inhumane and unpatriotic the deliberate attempt by some fuel dealers in the State to inflict pains on residents by hoarding premium motor spirit (petrol) or increasing its price in the wake of fuel subsidy removal announcement by President Bola Tinubu.
The government in a statement by the Spokesperson to the Governor, Olawale Rasheed said the special monitoring team set up by Governor Ademola Adeleke is still in existence and will not hesitate to seal off defaulting stations.
The statement partly reads, “The attention of the Osun State Government has been drawn to the deliberate hoarding of PMS by the fuel dealers within the State as a result of the statement from the Inaugural Speech of the new President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the removal of fuel subsidy, thereby causing unnecessary hardship for the people in the State.
“This deliberate action is not only inhumane but unpatriotic and will not be allowed by the government. To this end, the Special Monitoring Team on fuel scarcity set up by His Excellency, Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke headed by the Chief of Staff, Hon Kazeem Akinleye is still effective and shall not condone any form of economic sabotage.
“As from today, 30th May 2023, the Committee shall begin special monitoring of all the filling stations across the state in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.
“Any fuel station found guilty of hoarding fuel to create artificial scarcity shall be sealed off and operators prosecuted for crime of economic sabotage.”
InsightMedia gathered several filling stations in Osogbo metropolis have their gates shut on Tuesday, while there are long queues at few ones selling at inflated prices.