Anambra State Government has warned all wholesalers, distributors and marketers of petroleum products especially engine oil to desist from sale of adulterated, unblended and unwholesome oil in any part of the state.
The Special Assistant to the governor on Oil and Gas, Chief Chris Okonkwo, gave the warning on Friday at Nnewi, during an unscheduled discreet tour of parts of the state, where his team took samples of products on sale for investigative analysis.
He warned that government’s sledge hammer would soon fall on all the culprits without exception.
Chief Okonkwo regretted that the government has discovered rampant sale of base and unblended engine oil to the unsuspecting public, passing same off as blended engine oil.
The Special Assistant described the situation as unfortunate, noting that the products are being marketed daily at virtually all street corners of the state. He also observed that the same goes for the black-market sale of highly inflammable petroleum products in big and small jerrycans that are usually stored in residential areas under risky conditions.
Chief Okonkwo who is also the Chairman of the State’s Taskforce on Procurement, Pricing, Regulation and Distribution of Petroleum Products, maintained that Governor Obiano was very worried about the development restating government’s commitment towards eliminating such acts all over the state.
“What they sell are harmful adulterated products. They all constitute health, life and machine hazard to both the engines, generating sets and human beings all over the state.
“It’s condemnable for anyone, in a quest to make money to decide to destroy other people’s machineries, vehicles and lives by selling fake uncertified products. We are already looking into it with a view to wiping out such acts.
The governor’s aide noted that he has not ruled out pursuit of appropriate laws to tackle such perpetrators if the existing ones are not very effective.
