NPA shuts down 3 filling stations for cheating consumers

The National Petroleum Authority, (NPA), has locked 13 nozzles belonging to 3 filling stations for under delivery in the Bono Region.

The stations are: Frimps at Penkwase, Eusbett Goil and Engen, all in Sunyani.

In the case of Frimps, all the 7 nozzles functioning at the time of the visit were under delivering. Goil had 2 nozzles locked whilst Engen had 4 nozzles locked.

The exercise jointly undertaken by the Bono Regional Office and the Consumer Services  and Security and Intelligence directorate observed that some of the nozzles were over delivering, hence  drew the attention of the managers of the stations.

The team, led by Kwadwo Odarno Appiah and Eunice Budu Nyarko, Bono Regional Manager and Consumer Services Manager respectively also observed that one of the nozzles had a wrong colour code ie super nozzle had a black coat instead of red.

The random exercise was undertaken after the team sensitized    commercial drivers and traders at the Nana Bosoma market, popularly known as Wednesday market in the Sunyani municipal area of the Bono Region.

The commercial drivers and traders were sensitized on the activities of the NPA including it’s mandate, objects and responsibilities to the consuming public, hazards involved in the handling and usage of petroleum products, rights and responsibilities of consumers and best practices for operators of retail outlets in the industry, among others.

Mr Kwadwo Appiah encouraged consumers to desist from patronising fuels from table top sellers because their business is illegal and quality cannot be guaranteed,adding that their continous operation poses serious threat to public health and safety as its hazardous to keep such products in those small bottles and containers as such can easily catch fire and destroy lives and property.

He assured consumers in the region that petroleum products being sold at the various fuel stations are of good quality ,hence advised them to purchase at the fuel stations instead of from table top sellers.

He emphasised that the authority will continously monitor the operations of fuel stations to ensure consumers have value for money and products sold are of good quality.

Sanctions

He said the defaulting fuel stations are going to be sanctioned. The Authority will require a report on investigations carried out by the stations as to what caused the anomalies of the nozzles.

He further cautioned fuel stations,after seizing two ramps to desist from the  practice of  using ramps and shaking of vehicles during filling,adding that i is an unsafe practice which can cause unwarranted sparks and fire. ”

The NPA will not hesitate to lock temporarily stations caught using ramps, ” he hinted