Delta: Petroleum dealers threaten to shut down filling stations over alleged outrageous levies

Petroleum Dealers Association, Delta State on Thursday threatened to shut down all petrol stations in the state over alleged outrageous levies by Government Agencies.

The group asked Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa to invite all parties to a roundtable discussion within one week, a failure of which will result in industrial action.

In a chat with newsmen shortly after a meeting, the Secretary of the Association, Comrade Francis Agetue, said issues of irregular demand notices, double taxations and outrageous bills mostly from the Delta State Waste Management Board and Committees have become worrisome.

He said the association was no longer comfortable with all the outrageous demand notices being served to their members.

He added that some of their members have also been dragged to the mobile Courts.

“The worst of them all is the one from the Delta State Waste Management Board who is giving out demand notices ranging from 200,000 to 500,000 to both Independent and Major marketers across the state.

“We are so aggrieved and that is why as I am here now we are calling on all the filling stations in the state to shut down all their outlets, all their stations if they do not stop embarrassing and harassing our members.

“We have been having a meeting with the internal revenue board for a harmonised tax payment whereby we have to pay to one account for Delta State collectively so that the government will be able to access that account and the funds.

“This is why we are calling on both IPMAN, and the Independent marketers that within a fortnight we are going to shut down all the filling stations in the state.

“And until the governor calls and addresses the issue and we know where we stand, who we are paying money to and what we are paying for, we may remain closed.

“This is the first time we are going to do it and we are going to stand by it. There is no going back on this.

“We have one demand notice here from the Delta State Waste Management Board that says we should pay the sum of 500,000 as fine for ‘discharge of waste/liquid into the stream, rivers, creeks, lakes, drainage, streets and no sanitary waste bin with tightfitting cover.’

“It’s embarrassing. Which dealer is going to come out and tell you that he is making a net profit of 500,000 in a year. Let that person come out and tell us.”