The Benue State government has threatened to clampdown on petrol stations in the state that have shunned the Federal Government's directive to dispense Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol at the government approved pump price.

The threat came following the insistence of most filling station owners in the state to sell the product to motorists at between N380 and N450 per litre.

The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Michael Inalegwu issued the threat while briefing newsmen at the end of an emergency State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House, Makurdi.

He said the State Task Force on Petroleum Monitoring would come on stream to ensure proper monitoring, warning that "if in the next one week, petrol stations refuse to revert to the approved pump price, they will be doing so at their own peril."

According to him, "if you go to neighbouring Nasarawa State, they are selling for 200 and 194 Naira per litre, it is only in Benue that it is being sold at over 300 and 400 Naira.

"We are warning that petroleum marketers should review their pump price downward to the level that Benue people can access. We are facing Naira scarcity and at the same time, fuel scarcity; where are we heading to?

"So wherever the Task Force visits and finds out that there is petrol on the ground and the filling station is not selling, the general public will be called upon to fill their tanks and pay the station according to the approved price.

"This is our own social responsibility in dealing with people who are doing business in our state."

On the cash swap policy and the consequent scarcity of Naira, the Commissioner disclosed that "Governor Samuel Ortom has held several meetings with the banks and CBN officials but regrettably the cash crunch has persisted.

"We have told them to make money available to the people to end their suffering."