IT is a criminal offence for oil marketers, after benefiting from government's subsidy, to sell fuel above the official pump price of N97.00 per liter.
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, stated this when he led the National Good Governance Tour team to the Osisioma Depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Aba, Abia State.
He lamented that despite government's provision of subsidy on all fuel sold in the country, some marketers still exploit Nigerians by selling above the official price.
"Nigerians are not benefitting from the subsidy the government is paying. This is the problem we have had with the subsidy regime. If we want the subsidy to benefit our people, marketers must sell at the official price of N97.00. If they fail, they are cheating government," he said.
According to the Minister, "Few individuals can't be feeding on the rest by taking monies that would have been used for roads construction, education and health."
He urged marketers to show mercy on citizens in the interest of the overall development of the country.
He said: "We want people to make profit. But gain becomes criminal when you take a subsidised product and sell it above the official pump price. If oil marketers continue to sell beyond the N97.00 per liter price, indefinitely, the law would be visited on them."
Maku, who decried incessant vandalisation of pipelines and other government infrastructure, regretted that the Osisioma Depot, which was built at huge costs to the Federal Government, could not operate for some years due to the activities of vandals.
